Facing Your Fears: Alternate Reality
by cupcakesarereallygood
Summary: As the title suggests, it's an alternate ending to FYF. Four years have come and gone, but my pain is evident. My joy is reminiscent. My love hasn't diminished in the slightest. In fact, I think it got stronger. But how much more of this will I be able to take? How much longer can I wait? Sometimes I wish we could've had an alternate reality. An alternate world, for just you and me
1. Chance Meeting

**Hey, sorry but I just couldn't resist the urge to write this down. It's been haunting me for like...forever. ever since I ended FYF, I've been wanting to do this, but I only had the time now, so here we go! This aint much of an AN, but hey! It doesn't matter! I've been dying to post this part! So just to remind you guys again, this isnt the ending of FYF. It's just a hypothetical ending to it okay?**

**FACING YOUR FEARS—ALTERNATE REALITY**

""I'm so sorry I made you wait." The angel said as she slowly descended from heaven above. The peasant held out his arms, waiting for her to fall right into them, tears streaming down his cheeks. The angel too, happy as she may be, cried tears of joy as her hair danced beautifully around her. "I'm so sorry." She repeated.

"No, don't be sorry." The peasant said as he finally wrapped his arms around her. "I'm just glad that you're safe. That you're alive and well. That you're here once more, in my arms." He tightened his grip around her, as the angel's wings scattered and burst into tiny feathers floating in the air. "I love you and I'll never let you go. So say the words, and we can—"

"I love you too." She said without any form of doubt in her tone. The peasant smiled and continued.

"And we can live happily ever after." And so with a kiss under the falling stars, the peasant and the angel were reunited once more. The end.""

I read as I closed the fairy tale book in my hands. I took a deep sigh before facing the children who stared at me with awe. Some were clapping, others were smiling, but one naughty boy in particular was making a face at me.

"That was great Touma-nii!" A little girl with short brown hair said as she ran up to me, hugging me. "No matter how many times you read that story to us, it always sounds so amazing!" She commented, and all the others readily agreed. I smiled and patted her head.

"I'm glad you all like it, Haru-chan." I said addressing the little girl before looking over to a boy that never left his seat. "But it seems like Takumu is a little displeased~" All eyes turned to that little boy with black hair, a pout on his face.

"Oh, don't mind him Touma-nii!" Haru said puffing out her cheeks. "Takku is just a stubborn dense idiot! He won't have a happily ever after for sure!"

"Oh yeah? Ru-chan is just too stupid to actually believe that something as stupid as that exists!" He taunted, sticking his tongue out at his childhood friend. She was about to fight back but I held her down as I laughed.

"Alright, alright. Enough arguing kids. Seems to me like you two get along pretty well huh? Calling each other pet names like Ru-chan and Takku." The two kids turned red at my comment. "Geez, you guys are only six years old and you're already tsunderes? Wow, kids these days really are weird huh?" I said standing up, not minding the muffled retorts of Haru and Takumu. The kids jeered and taunted them, while the two just blushed furiously. I laughed at the two's innocence, and after awhile, Takumu lost it.

"Yeah, so what? Touma-nii reads the same story over and over again because he wishes Mikoto-nee would come back like the angel in the story!" The laughs suddenly died out and an eerie silence overcame them.

"TAKKU YOU IDIOT!" Haru shouted, stomping on his feet. "What Takku meant to say, Touma-nii, is that...well...Mikoto-nee will surely come back! She's abroad helping other people so it's taking her awhile, but she'll surely come back! I know it!" She said cheerily. I knelt in front of her and smiled as I ruffled her hair.

"I know that, Haru-chan, thanks. But anyway, Takumu, Haru-chan is a really cute girl. If you don't take action now, someone might just steal her away from you." I said, as the chanting of that cheesy "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" song thingy erupted all around the room. At first, the two were flustered as hell, but then slowly, they just glanced at one another and ended up smiling.

"I knew it." A girl's voice from behind me said, the chants dissipating. "Only one person could cause a riot like this and taint children's minds with romantic nonsense, Touma-senpai!"

"Ah! Kuro-nee!" The children shouted as they all ran up to the Judgement Teleporter behind me. She welcomed them with open arms, patting their heads and lifting them up. I have to say. I never knew Kuroko would be so good with kids. "Have you been reading them "The Peasant's Great Fortune" again, Touma-senpai?"

"Hello to you too, Kuroko." I greeted with a smile as I grabbed my backpack from one of the top shelves. I slung it over my shoulder as I turned back to face her. "What's so wrong with reading it to them? Everyone loves a good fairy tale, don't you?"

"Well, yes, I do like them. But surely these kids would want to hear something other than that story. It's been like a tradition here that all the students must listen to it at least a hundred times before they leave for grade school!" Kuroko exasperated. I've been volunteering at this child error facility/kindergarten for 3 years now. I started it a year after Mikoto disappeared. I mean, this was the same facility that she used to help with before, so I thought I'd do it for her. Some of the kids still remember her, actually.

"Yeah, yeah~" I waved her off. "So, how're things with Keisuke huh? Still going strong as usual?" I taunted, making Kuroko turn red, as all the kids said "Eiiiihhhh!" in chorus.

"Oh shush now, all of you!" She said, trying to maintain her calm as the kids all laughed at her. "Enough of this! Aren't you late for your classes Touma-senpai? It's already 2 in the afternoon, don't you have a thesis defence today or something?" She replied irately. As much as I loved teasing her, I couldn't be late. Fukiyose would kill me.

"Yeah, I know. I've got 30 minutes to get back, so don't worry about it." I said walking over to the door. "Bye kids! Don't annoy Kuro-nee too much about Kei-nii! She might kill me for it!" You see, one time, we managed to force Kuroko to bring Keisuke here to the facility, so they kids called him "Kuro-nee's boyfriend" which drove her crazy. In the end, he opted to be called Kei-nii. The kids laughed as I waved goodbye to them. Right before I got out,

"Touma-senpai?" Kuroko called after me. I looked back and raised an eyebrow at her. "Happy Birthday, and thanks for everything you've done for the girls, this facility, and for me." She said with a smile. Now that's a first. You see, ever since Keisuke came barging into Kuroko's life, she's changed little by little. It's kinda adorable to watch her like that. I smiled at her before turning my back.

"Thanks, and don't mention it," I made sure that I was at least 10 metres away from her before continuing, "Soon-to-be Yamada Kuroko~!" And I bolted out of the compound, hearing Kuroko's shrill shouts at me, demanding me to come back and say that to her face. Yamada Keisuke and Yamada Kuroko. Ha-ha, very nice indeed. I laughed as I ran past the familiar scenery of streets and building of District 13.

Oh, yeah. I just remembered, today IS my birthday. If Kuroko hadn't mentioned it, I would've forgotten until IT happened again. You may be wondering what this IT might be, so allow me to explain. Every year, on my birthday, something miraculous always happens. Things like, acing a test, having a professor that's even later than I am, being able to avoid accidents by the slightest margin and the such. I'm not entirely sure, but sometimes, I'd like to believe that it's Mikoto's way of greeting me. Even though I'm not entirely sure where she is and what she's doing, I just try to be optimistic about things.

"You know, if you're listening to me right now Mikoto," I said aloud as I waited for the train. "All I ever want is for you to return home safely." So there's my wish. Where's a candle to blow on when you need one huh?

And just as the train arrived, a little kid came out and handed me an unlit birthday candle saying "Don't be said Onii-chan! Here's a special candle! If you wish on it, it will come true for sure!" Did that kid just read my mind? Am I really that easy to read? Really now, such misfortune.

* * *

"Alright, good work Kamijou-kun, Fukiyose-san and Aogami-kun." Heaven Arbiter, Yamamoto Minako, said as she shuffled our thesis paper in her hands. She examined our work once more, scrutinizing every single detail. As the seconds pass by, Fukiyose was obviously getting impatient as she repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fist. Please let us pass, please, please please! "You all did a splendid job. So congratulations. Your thesis has been accepted. You'll be graduating on time after all." She greeted us with a smile. Fukiyose and I breathed in relief as Aogami did his pervert dance before hugging Fukiyose, which of course, pissed her off.

"Thank you so much Mikoto...really." I muttered out.

"What're you thanking Misaka-san for, Kamijou-kun?" Heaven Arbiter said walking over to me. Fukiyose was still busy beating the crap out of Aogami. "You do realize that you passed because the three of you worked hard on your thesis. I bear witness to that."

"I know that, Yamamoto-sensei..." I smiled at her. "But if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't even have the energy to think of the things I'd typed and said in that paper. I owe it all to her, because she inspired me to do better at my studies, so I can at least have something to be proud of when she gets home."

"You are a sickeningly sweet person Kamijou-kun." She said with her own version of a smile. "Haa~, if only my husband were as sweet as you are, I'd be happy, you know?" She said as she shook her head slowly.

"Oh? But I'm very much sweet of my own, aren't I?" A voice from behind said. We both turned back and saw Heaven Canceller, looking as old and as frog-ish as ever, walking towards us. "So, I'm not much of a husband then now, huh Minako?"

"Oh hush now you old drat. You're just a wrinkly piece of a lump of flesh, the only reason you're still alive and breathing is because you're too much of a pervert to either go to heaven or hell." Heaven Arbiter said as she crossed her arms and looked away. I sooo do not want to get involved in an old couple's argument. Heaven Canceller sighed before saying,

"But you married this old lump, didn't you?" He answered exasperatedly. Yamamoto-sensei just grunted, making him glance towards me, noticing my confused expression.

"I forgot our anniversary last week." He explained. Oh, so that explains it. "She barged into my office and saw me talking to my assistant nurse, and now she's like that."

"Oooh, tough luck Dr. Gekota." I answered with a small smile.

"Guess treating an unlucky patient so many times makes me unlucky with women too huh?" He said with a smile. "You don't exactly have the gentlest experience with women." He then turned to his wife and tried to placate her. Yamamoto-sensei, she still hadn't bothered to change her last name despite being married, elbowed him in the gut, causing the old man to scoff and grunt in pain.

"You have no delicacy at all, you old fart." She said with a glare. "Don't mind him, alright Kamijou-kun? He's a senile old man. I don't even remember why I married him."

"Oh, come on now Minako." Dr. Gekota whined and before I knew it, Heaven Arbiter was dragging him by the ear outside. I simply smiled at the sight of those two, walking away, arguing but that sure as hell proves that they're in love with one another. Can you believe it Mikoto? They actually ended up getting married, 3 years ago, to be more precise. Turns out, they were actually childhood sweethearts but they were both too stubborn to admit it. What pushed them on was what happened to the two of us. They didn't want to regret living their lives without the ones they love, so they got married. Better late than never right? Makes me wonder what would happen if Mikoto and I lasted that long. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, Kamijou." Fukiyose said with a smile. "Good work. This part of hell is finally over and done with. And it's just in time for your birthday too!"

"Thanks. Well, aren't you all smiles and sunshine today?"

"H-huh?" She stuttered looking away. What the-? "I don't know what you're talking about Kamijou. Don't say such nonsense!" Why does she seem like she's hiding something?

"Nonsense...huh... Seriously, Fukiyose? Why would you put on such a blatant lie like that? It's totally unlike you."

"Well..that's—"

"She looks like she's seen a ghost, doesn't she, Kami-yan?" Tsuchimikado said as he opened to door to the classroom. He was put in a different group from ours, and as luck may have it, he went to the group with extremely smart people. He didn't even lift a finger for this thesis. Lucky b-st-rd.

"Tsuchimikado you—" Fukiyose said with gritted teeth. Why the hell is she so pissed?

"Relax, Fukiyose! I aint really a spoiler kind of guy, so don't you worry!" Tsuchimikado said coolly.

"Okay, okay, enough of the pretentious lies, you crappy bunch of people I have as friends. What the hell is really going on?" I said, interrupting them. "You guys aren't planning something as childish as a surprise party are you?"

"You really aren't mistaken with the surprise part Kami-yan." Tsuchimikado said as he snickered. "But don't get too conceited. Why the hell would we go through all the effort just to throw you a surprise party? That's too troublesome to pull off~!" He whined.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks for making me feel like my birthday is such a total drag, Tsuchimikado." I answered back. "You are such an amazing friend."

"Oh, no need to tell me that, Kami-yan. I know it already."

"He was being sarcastic, you idiot." Fukiyose butted in, seemingly calmed down. "But anyway, Kamijou, do you have any plans later this evening? Like...I don't know, around 6 or something?" What the hell? Fukiyose Seiri, the Iron Fist, is fidgeting. She's freaking fidgeting. Now that's weird. "Oi, you plan on answering me or you're just gonna stare at me like a gaping fish?"

"Sorry, sorry. You just caught me off guard, but anyway, no I don't. I don't mind going to the park to attend the surprise birthday party that you guys set up for me." Now, just take the bait and-

"Oh that's great then—WAIT WHAT?!" Snagged myself a winner. Yeah, Fukiyose really isn't good at stuff like these. "W-we weren't planning on anything Kamijou! Nothing, really! I...just...we...I WANT TO PLAY GOLF!" What? She seemed so satisfied with her excuse too. Who plays golf at 6 in the evening? Wouldn't it be already too dark to even see? "Yeah, that's right! I want to play golf with you! So let's go and play golf later! It's already 4:30, so you have an hour and a half!" Man. If only I didn't feel bad for her, I would've just called this entire charades off.

"Yea, sure. Whatever you say, Fukiyose." I said, grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. "I'll see you guys later then."

"Are you going to visit her again?" Tsuchimikado called out, just before I step out the door. I looked back at them and noticed how almost all of them had their attention on me. What? You guys think I'm gonna cry or something? I merely smiled at them before turning back and stepping out.

"Where else do I go when my friends plan a crappy surprise that isn't surprising at all?" I said aloud, right before closing the door behind me. I stomped my feet a few times before the ruckus inside began.

"Nice work, Fukiyose." Aogami's muffled voice said. "You totally spoiled everything!" A few crashing and banging sounds were heard, along with Fukiyose's and Aogami's screams and yelps. "I concede! I am very sorry Fukiyose-sama! But you can whip me anytime! Stronger if you'd like!" And there goes the crashing sounds again.

"Since when did Kamijou get so perceptive anyway?" Fukiyose huffed out. "Last time I checked, wasn't he a dense idiot?"

"Love changes people I guess." Tsuchimikado answered. "More so when the love of your life isn't here with you, it makes you see things and realize stuff that you usually wouldn't pay attention to. Not when she isn't there to distract you from the world." I heard a few steps towards the door before two knocks erupted from inside. "Ain't that right?"

I briskly walked away from the door, my memories overriding my brain and hacking into my system like an unwanted virus. Four years have come and gone. All 1,563 days of them feeling like the worst torture any living being could live through.

"I thought I was okay, Mikoto." I said, making my way to my place of redemption. "But, it was just a thought after all."

Before I knew it, I had already arrived at that one place. I was at the entrance of the park again. Is this your way of comforting me, Mikoto? When I don't know what to think, or what to do, or when I'm missing you so badly I almost want to jump off a cliff and meet you myself, do you make it happen that I always end up right here? I know that must be kindness on your part, but is it really supposed to hurt so much?

"Well, well, well. If it ain't little old Kami-kun." I turned back and saw an ice cream truck, the one Mikoto always used to buy from. "It's been a while. How're you holding up?"

"I guess it has been quite awhile now, huh?" I walked towards him, just as the ice cream man went down. "I've been...more or less fine, I guess. How's business? Surely your world famous ice cream is booming, right?"

"It's funny how you two think so much alike huh?" The ice cream truck driver laughed as he scratched his nose. "I remember Misa-chan saying something like that four years ago. It was the same back then. I hadn't seen her for a while then she just suddenly pops out of nowhere with her cutie little sister. How's she doing? You guys still going strong and keeping in touch? I heard she got towed away by Academy City to some faraway country."

"She's...fine." I answered forcing a smile on my face. "We haven't been able to message each other that frequently, but as long as I know that she's safe and happy, then I'll be at ease. I mean, she hasn't told me anything about meeting a cute foreign guy or something like that."

""Your faith amuses me, old boyo!" He placed a hand on my shoulder as he nodded approvingly, smiling at me. "But anyway, today's your birthday right? How bout I give you an ice cream huh? It'll be free of charge, as many scoops as you want!" He said proudly patting the side of his truck. I just smiled sheepishly at him, knowing that there was no way out of this.

"Alright then, guess I'll see what I'd like to have then..." I looked up to the menu board, reading through it, until one particular name caught my eye. "Hey, mister?"

"Huh? What is it? Finally made a choice now?"

"That." I said pointing to the board, his gaze following my finger. "What kind of flavour is Happy Geko?" I asked, almost incredulously.

"Oh that?" He answered with an amused smile. "Misa-chan was the one who thought of it." I just knew she was behind this somehow. "I think it was around the time before she left for some other country. Like, probably the day before."

"Wait, what?" I asked, almost too eagerly. "You met Mikoto before she..._left?_"

"Yeah, it was around 5 or 6 in the evening or something." He said with a shrug. So she met him after she escaped from the hospital then, a few hours before I got her message. "I was closing up the van, just until I saw her walking around, seemingly dazed, and carrying her violin case. She looked like a mess, so I asked her to stop and chat for a while. I offered her some ice cream, and she said that she didn't want to choose anymore, that she didn't want to make another decision. "I don't want regrets" she said."

"Why did she..." I mumbled out loud. She had thoughts like that?

"She wouldn't budge when I asked her for an explanation; she actually ended up tearing up in front of me. What's an old man to do in that situation?" He sighed, probably remembering how frustrating it was. But then he smiled. "So I told her that she can pick as much flavours as she wants, and I'll even add it to the menu. She smiled at me before jumping into the truck, asking for a cone and some scoopers. I had no idea what she was planning, but I just thought that she needed a break, she looked really stressed out, poor Misa-chan."

"Can I have it?" I suddenly blurted out loud, making him turn to me. "The Happy Geko, can I have it? Please?"

"Oh come now, boyo! You don't need to beg and plea, Misa-chan created this, and it's your birthday, so it gives me more reason to give it to you." He went inside the truck and began working on the ice cream. "Misa-chan really is such a sweet girl, isn't she? I feel bad that she had to leave, but, for her, duty calls, I guess. Alright! There you go, Kami-kun! Your very first Happy Geko!"

I had a lot of expectations for that Happy Geko thing that you created Mikoto. I expected it to be childish, and adorable, and probably insane and ridiculous too, but I knew that I would love it, no matter what happened, no matter how it looked like or no matter how it tasted. Because it was something you created, Mikoto. And I'll love it no matter what. But you know? I never expected to be so touched when I saw it.

"Chocolate mint, strawberry, and vanilla." I muttered. The base was a huge vanilla scoop, then on top of it were two smaller scoops of chocolate mint and strawberry placed beside one another. It was shaped just like Gekota's head, and for the eyes, there were two chocolate chips.

"I just remembered, you loved vanilla, didn't you, Kami-kun?" He suddenly said, seemingly put to thought. "The two of you always argued on what to buy, each insisting that the other ate their favourite. You wanted her to eat vanilla, and she wanted you to eat chocolate mint."

"Strawberry was the only flavour we agreed upon that was acceptable." I continued. "We both didn't hate it, but it wasn't our favourite, so we always wound up eating that."

"I asked Misa-chan why she chose vanilla as the centre for it, even though she hated that flavour. She simply said something like vanilla making an idiot happy and how that idiot made her happy. And that's where the name came from Kami-kun." He smiled at me, as he ruffled my head. "Happy Geko, the one that makes me happy."

"Idiots surprisingly make me happy..." I repeated her cryptic message from before she disappeared.

Damn it, Mikoto. I simply will not believe it that you didn't pull any strings for all of this to happen in one day. Why is the universe giving me all the more reasons to love you and miss you? Why is everything making me realize that no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to forget or let go of you?

"This ice cream..." I asked, taking a lick of it. "Has it been selling?"

"Of course it has!" He said happily. "The kids love it, and some middle schoolers buy it as well, whenever they hear that it was made by the great Railgun. That it was created by her, for the one she loved the most."He smiled so kindly at me, I wonder if that was supposed to mean something. "She created it for you, Kami-kun. So don't lose hope in her, alright? Don't lose hope in the love you have for her."

"What're you—"

"You young ones have been through a lot now, right?' He said. "Misa-chan always comes here when she feels troubled or bothered by something. Not that I don't like seeing her, but whenever she comes to the park, looking dazed and confused, I worry for her. Maybe she's being pushed into a corner and she can't get herself out. Maybe she's losing her mind, trying to think of a solution or something. A lot of things come up in my mind, and I can't help but worry about her. I mean, the last time I saw her like that, she did leave for some unknown country right? When you were staring at the park gate, you had that same face. Like you wanted to give up, or something. So I'm telling you right now, Kami-kun. A girl like Misa-chan is a hard one to find, probably impossible even. Don't let her go just because of a little lack of communication, eh?"

"Are you an ice cream truck driver or a psychologist?" I asked, a genuine smile on my face. "You sure do dispense great advice, but to sorry to tell you, I won't need it." He raised a brow at me questionably, so I just smiled and said this as confidently as I could. "Lack of communication be damned. I'm not giving her up, not even if the world fell around us right this very instant. I love her too much for that."

"Haaa, if only I could say those words to my wife, maybe she wouldn't be so hesitant about me eh?"He laughed. "But well, I guess you won't know what it feels like, unless you actually tie the knot with her. How old are you again? 24 right? You'd better hurry up with your proposal. Someone might snag her away if you don't."

"I'm pretty sure I eradicated all the snaggers, so no need to worry about that." I shrugged. He let out another boisterous laugh, before shaking his head in amusement.

"You better not give me some crap about finding the perfect timing for it or anything, Kami-kun." He said, reaching over the window and patting my shoulder one last time. "There's no such thing as perfect timing or perfect moments. You just grab a moment then make it perfect. See ya later then!"

I nodded and watched as he drove off with a wave. As the truck turned a corner and disappeared from my view, I couldn't help but remember the words he had left me. _Don't lose hope in the love you have for her. _I sighed, before walking to the secret place in the forest where Mikoto's memoriam lies, eating the Happy Geko which Mikoto created for me. Really, that old man sure knows how to smack me in the head with reality. But I'm glad I met him. I'm glad he was able to knock some sense into this stupid brain of mine that was nearly about to give up, just because I missed her too much.

"You sure do have a weird way of making me realize thing, Mikoto." I said as I stared at the small patch of flowers that were neatly arranged on the ground. This small piece of heaven that is hidden by trees and slopes, which only a few people know of. This special place where Mikoto took her last breath, made her last smile, and where we shared our last kiss.

"Huh, I guess I need to break my own illusions, thinking how all of those things were the last ones." I said amusedly, sitting in my usual spot, staring at the view of the sun that was nearly at the end of it's horizon. I looked at my watch and saw the time. It was 5:24 pm. "I never knew talking to ice cream truck drivers could take me so long." I removed the pendant from around my neck and stared at it, at Gekota holding onto the diamond studded flower. "You never get tired of holding onto that flower, don't you Gekota? The same way I'll never get tired of holding onto my memories of her."

A strong wind blew past me, so I had to cover my eyes. When I opened them again, all the flowers were in disarray, scattered all around.

"Ah, crap." I muttered before sitting up and picking them up one by one again. "I guess this is what I get for talking to myself so many times, huh Mikoto? I guess I should probably stop pinning the things that happen to me on you. It's like as Heaven Arbiter said, everything that has happened to me is because of me, not because of some divine intervention. It really makes me laugh, thinking how much "Divine Intervention" actually fits the situation. But anyway, haven't you grown tired of being an angel yet? Shouldn't you take a break once in a while or something? I know it's wrong for me to ask this of you, but I just really want to—"

"AAAAHHHH! GEKOTA!" My thoughts were broken at the sound of that scream. I was frozen in place, not knowing what to do or what to say. That voice. Surely, it couldn't be...right? I'm just imagining things, aren't I? "You freaking IDIOT!" It screamed again. No, there's no doubting it. Not anymore. "What the hell were you thinking?! Letting go of something as precious as Gekota! You must be insane!" Her tone, her voice, the way she called me an idiot, and the way she was so protective of Gekota. It must be...It has to be..!

"MIKOTO!" I shouted, turning my back. I was immediately faced with that same beautiful face, all scrunched up in irritation. Call me crazy, but I really think she looks adorable. Those same hazel eyes and hair that I've missed for so long. She stood before me, a hand to her waist as the other one held out the pendant to me. She was wearing a white dress with frills that reached mid thigh, as she wore a light pink cardigan over it. Tears welled up in my eyes, as I took a single shaky step forward. "BiriBiri, I—"

"What?" She said, her confusion obvious in her tone. "Who're you calling Mikoto, you big idiot?" No. It can't be. "And what's BiriBiri?"

If there really is a god out there, what the hell did I ever do to deserve this much punishment? How cruel can the gods really get? But with my luck, what's so surprising right?

"It's been awhile since I've said this out loud but..." Mikoto looked weirdly at me as she raised her eyebrow at me, the look on her practically questioning my entire existence. "Such Misfortune..."

-chapter end-

**OH MY GOD. IT'S BEEN SO LONG, I THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN HOW TO WRITE. I'm sorry; I just couldn't help the urge to write this down. It's been a while, as you may have noticed, but this has been bugging my head for a long time now, so yeah. But anyway, HII GUYS! Man I missed writing stuff here. But as I said, this is just an alternate ending to FYF. A lot of people asked me if Mikoto was ever really gonna come back, but as I said in the AN of the last chapter in FYF: AGAIN?! It's really up to you guys to decide. This is just a what if situation, so it's still really up to you.**

**This will be a kind of mini-series. Probably just a few chapters or something. Well, how're you guys doing? I sure do hope you haven't forgotten my existence in this universe! For if you have, then I'll just go to the Unseen Horizon and live in my own world! Sorry, I got addicted to Chuunibyou Demo Koi Ga Shitai for a while. It's adorable. Really.**

**Well, how did I do? Tell me in the reviews okay? Bye~ See you in the next chapter~! Ja-ne~!**

**P.S. Please don't hate me if my writing has sucked in any way. I haven't written anything since I finished FYF:AGAIN?!, so I hope you'll bear with me.**


	2. Assumptions

Chapter 2: Are Assumptions Really Just Assumptions?

"MIKOTO!" I shouted, turning my back. I was immediately faced with that same beautiful face, all scrunched up in irritation. Call me crazy, but I really think she looks adorable. Those same hazel eyes and hair that I've missed for so long. She stood before me, a hand to her waist as the other one held out the pendant to me. She was wearing a white dress with frills that reached mid thigh, as she wore a light pink cardigan over it. Tears welled up in my eyes, as I took a single shaky step forward. "BiriBiri, I—"

"What?" She said, her confusion obvious in her tone. "Who're you calling Mikoto, you big idiot?" No. It can't be. "And what's BiriBiri?"

If there really is a god out there, what the hell did I ever do to deserve this much punishment? How cruel can the gods really get? But with my luck, what's so surprising right?

"It's been awhile since I've said this out loud but..." Mikoto looked weirdly at me as she raised her eyebrow at me, the look on her practically questioning my entire existence. "Such Misfortune..."

"Haaaa?" She exaggerated, stomping her way towards me. "What on earth are you talking about, mister? And what do you think you were doing letting poor Gekota on the dirty ground?! Don't you realize how important this is?! It's a limited edition—"

"A limited edition Gekota pendant which was part of the Spring Happy Romance Collection. It costs around 50 000 yen, and it is considered highly valuable by Gekoers." I answered. She seemed stunned to hear me say those words but she just smiled and stepped forward, grabbing my hand and placing the pendant in it.

"I'm glad that you understand." She said nodding proudly. "I've finally found a male Gekoer that's worth praising!"

"Uh—I...I'm not-!"

"What's your name?" She said, shaking my hand, as a beautiful smile adorned her face. I was really tempted to caress her face, to hold her like never before, to kiss her like I used to. Mikoto's here. My BiriBiri is right here next to me. She came back! She really did! I missed her, so much. Really. "Hey?"

"I—uh—I'm s-sorry. I was just...c-can I ask your name?" I stuttered.

"Haa? Shouldn't you tell me your name first, since I asked you first?" She seemed irritated, but why aren't sparks flying off everywhere? Shouldn't she be short circuiting Academy City by now? "Are you gonna keep staring at me or what, you perverted freak?"

"A-ah, s-sorry. My name is Kamijou Touma, and you?" Crap. I'm pretty sure my hands are shaking like crazy. She looked at my hands, before raising an eyebrow as she looked back at me.

"It's very nice to meet you, Idiot Touma." She said with a smile. "My name's Awase Narushi. Please don't be too much of an idiot okay?" She smiled tilting her head to the side. She's not Mikoto. She isn't Mikoto. But then why is she calling me by my first name, and why is she calling me an Idiot? How can she say those things so casually? "By the way, I'm 22, how about you?"

"You have to be Mikoto." I blurted out, she seemed confused at me, and I know I really shouldn't push this matter any further, but, she has to be Mikoto! She has to be, right?!

"Uuuh, what're you-?"

"Misaka Mikoto." I mumbled, my hand trembling. She kept looking back and forth from my hand to my face, her expression contorted in worry. "Misaka Mikoto. She's 22 years old too. She has hazel hair and eyes. She used to call me idiot all the time. She used to chase me all around the city even in the dead of night. She used to try and kill me with lightning for god's sake! She—"

"Look, whoever this person is," She interrupted, taking back her hand away from me. "I don't know her okay? I don't even know you, so—"

"Misaka Mikoto is the only girl I ever loved, and she's the only girl I ever will love!" I shouted, grabbing her arms and pulling her in for a hug. She was struggling pretty hard, but I kept her in place. "I..I know you said you aren't her, and I know that you probably don't trust me or anything, but...but please." God. What the hell is happening to me right now? "Please, could you just...stay still for a while?" A long stretch of awkward silence came over us. Seriously, what is wrong with me? She isn't Mikoto, so why am I holding onto her so tightly like this?

"You..." Awase-san said, patting my arm. "I don't really appreciate you playing Spot the Difference with me and a person I don't know...but..you must've really loved her then huh, Idio—Kamijou-san."

"You don't even know half of it." I said, managing a small smile. "Was I that obvious?"

"No man would ever cry like this for just a girl." She said, ruffling my hair instead. As much as I didn't want to admit it, it felt great. Warm, even. As if Mikoto really was the one doing it. "For you to cry like this, she must've been really special."

"I'm not—" My voice trailed off when I noticed the droplets of water that fell on Awase-san's cardigan. Sh-t. I was crying. In front of a girl I barely just me too. I let go of her and turned around, wiping them away from my face. "I wasn't crying."

"No need to be so self-preserving, Kamijou-san." She said in a gentle tone. "I have to admit, you scared the crap out of me when you suddenly grabbed my arm and hugged me like that, but then, you were crying. No man of evil intentions would cry in front of a victim. I'm sorry for just barging in on you like that, it must've shocked you."

"N-nah. It's okay. I mean, we are in a park after all." I said, turning to face her and shrugging. "This is a public place. You have every right to just show up unannounced like that."

"Why is it that I get the feeling that you're being sarcastic?" She sighed, placing a hand on her hip. I wore the pendant around my neck and started fixing Mikoto's memoriam. "I'm pretty sure that you consider this to be a very private place though."

"What?" I asked, looking up at her. She walked around me and sat on her heels as she stared at the bunch of stargazer lilies and other assortment of flowers there were.

"These flowers." She said, taking a white daisy and twirling it around her fingers. "Are they for her? Uh...Misaka Mikoto, am I right?"

"Y-yeah..." I answered, staring at the image of Miko-, I mean, of Awase Narushi sitting there, amazed by a flower like that. "These are all her favourite flowers. So I always bring some for her."

"So is she dead then?" She asked straightforwardly. How am I supposed to respond to that? I stared at the patch of flowers I was arranging on the ground, making no move or sound at all. Is she dead? How am I supposed to say, I don't know. She turned into specs of light right in this very spot, when she became an Angel. Wouldn't I sound like a total weirdo? Awase must've noticed how quiet I was; she stiffened and placed the daisy back on the ground. "I'm sorry. I was being insensitive, wasn't I?"

"It's okay, Awase-san." I said with a smile, but my gaze was directed at the flower she put down. "But to answer your question, no. She isn't dead. She's somewhere out there, helping as many people as much as she can."

"So she's a volunteer worker then?" Awase-san stood up and dusted off the dirt from her skirt. Well, I guess that's better and easier to understand than the truth. "You almost had me fooled there. How long has she been a volunteer worker then? For you to mistake me for her and just suddenly burst into tears like that, it must be a pretty long time."

"I did not burst into tears!" Man. A man's pride sure is hard to defend. "I was simply tearing up, okay? But anyway, she's been gone for nearly 4 years. So you really can't blame me for missing her so much."

"Oh, she-WAIT. FOUR YEARS?!" She exclaimed. Huh? What was so surprising? "Hey now, I know Academy City can be such a pain in the ass, but seriously? They've been making a 22 year old work for four years away from her home? That means she was working from when she was 18! Isn't that like...abuse or something?!"

"She's already of legal age, remember? Being 18 and all." I sighed. Haaaa, I really really don't like talking about this stuff. "It must be hard for her, now that I think about it. Being burdened with such a great task, just because she chose others above her own safety."

"Ha? What're you babbling on about, Idiot Touma?" Awase-san interrupted my dramatic monologue. Why this ungrateful little—

"Hey, I know I probably creeped you out with all my drama earlier, but don't you think you should respect your elders more? I am two years older than you, you know, _Narushi-chan_." I don't know what possessed me to say her name like that, I mean, a lot of younger kids have always called me an idiot, but I never pointed it out to them like this, now have I?

"Don't call me Narushi-chan like that. It's disgusting, Idiot Touma." She scoffed. "If you must address me by name, then call me Awase-sama!"

"Well aren't you the conceited little freak?" I said ruffling her hair. Even her hair is just like Mikoto's. "Since I'm older than you, I can call you whatever I want. So, allow me to think of a very appropriate nickname for you, Awase Narushi!" I said proudly. "I'm sure I can do it!"

"I never asked you to, you big idiot!"

"Well, since you already know of this Kamijou's tragic life story, can't you at least grant me the satisfaction of pleasing you with a cute nickname?" I whined.

"As if I'd give a damn! It's your life isn't it? Why should I be the one to grant you satisfaction?! And anyway, the way you said it was just too creepy! It sounded almost perverted-like, Idiot Touma!" She retorted back.

"Aww come on now! Don't say—"

"Touma-senpai?" A voice cut through the air, making me all tense. I turned my head and saw Kuroko, carrying a bouquet of flowers, her eyes as wide as plates, staring at me and Awase-san. "What're you-! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING BRINGING A WOMAN OVER TO ONEE-SAMA'S MEMORIAM?!" She suddenly dropped the flowers she was carrying and teleported needles to her hands. I instinctively put an arm in front of Awase-san, to protect her, but Kuroko seemed to have the wrong idea about it. "AND YOU EVEN DARE TO PROTECT HER LIKE THAT?! AND TO THINK I THOUGHT OF YOU AS A RIVAL FOR ONEE-SAMA'S HEART! YOU REALLY ARE NOTHING BUT A WORTHLESS MAN! A BARBAIAN! AN APE! A—"

"JUST CHILL OUT, KUROKO!" I shouted, stopping her from spouting any more obscenities. "How come you didn't think of her as Mikoto? Doesn't she look exactly like he—"

"That woman you are with is not Onee-sama. I could from a single glance that she is not Mikoto-neesama. So what on earth is your explanation for this blasphemous turn of events?" She said, eyeing me suspiciously. "True her features are nearly the same as hers, but if you take a closer look, her hair is a tad bit lighter than Onee-sama. "

"Do you expect me of all people to notice that?!" I can't believe I'm acknowledging the fact that I am an idiot. "And anyway, put back your needles! You might scare off Awase here so—"

"Who might get scared off?" Awase swatted my arm away and took a step forward closer to Kuroko. "I sure as hell am not threatened by this little cupcake. But anyway, I don't even know who this Misaka Mikoto is, so why the hell does everybody I meet today compare me to her huh?"

"Are you thinking of me as weak, you Onee-sama impostor?!" Oh crap. She's getting pissed again. Big time. "What right do you have to-?!"

"No, I'm pretty sure you're very strong, Kuroko, was it?" Awase said with a breath before smiling, making Kuroko lower her arms. I really can't blame her, when Awase smiled like that, it's like Mikoto is standing here beside us. "I really am sorry, but this idiot actually had nothing to do with me being here. In fact, I don't even know what I'm doing here. It felt like someone was calling for me, so I walked around blindly until I got here. I just chanced upon Touma here."

"Touma-senpai?" Kuroko asked, turning to me. "Is her story and accurate retelling of what happened here?"

"You know me very well, Kuroko." I answered. "I would never do what you accused me of doing. I'll leave it up to you, whether you want to believe the truth." She kept her unwavering gaze at me for a few more seconds, before sighing and easing the tension from her body. She teleported the needles back into their place before she picked up the bouquet she dropped earlier.

"I'm sorry for jumping into conclusions like that." She apologized, lowering her head. "I was...baffled by the sight of you with another woman I wasn't familiar with. It sort of took the rational part of my brain away from my head."

"It's alright." I said walking over and patting her head. "Nobody got hurt. You should probably apologize to Mikoto for causing such a ruckus though."

"I have a lot more things to apologize to Onee-sama for. Touma-senpai." She said in a crestfallen tone. She kept her head low, not bothering to raise it up. "I just wish I could actually apologize to her personally."

"Don't say that Kuroko! Miko—"

"Uhm, excuse me?" Awase interrupted, raising her hand in question. We both turned to her, as she nervously fidgeted in place. "Not to sound imposing or anything, but...are you guys dating or something?" Okay. That did it. This girl, no matter how much she looked like Mikoto, will be receiving hell. Not that it was any surprise, a very eerie and dark aura ensued us.

"You're kidding me...riiiiiight?!" Kuroko dragged on the syllable, taking a shaky step forward, grabbing Awase by her shoulders and shaking her. I have to admit, this girl is pretty awesome. She isn't even fazed by Kuroko's devil mode! "This ape is my Onee-sama's partner, as much as I hate it, so why in heaven's name would I ever date him?! It's blasphemy! It's a disgrace! It's...It's-!"

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Awase said, grabbing Kuroko's head and pulling it towards her chest. "It's okay, it's okay. Good girl, Kuroko." She repeated, her voice as gentle as could be, her hands rubbing the top of Kuroko's head. Kuroko flinched, but after a slow while, she succumbed to Awase, and even nuzzled closer to her.

"Kuroko..." I muttered, watching them. Kuroko is never one to show weakness, not even to Keisuke. So why is this happening right now? Why is she acting like this towards this girl? Awase Narushi. Who is this girl, really?

"Misaka Mikoto must've been a really great person." Awase suddenly said. She let go of Kuroko, and I didn't miss the dampness on her clothes, and that one final tear that rolled across Kuroko's cheeks. "For two people to just cry over her like that."

"H-hey, I didn't-!"

"Touma-senpai cried as well?" Kuroko asked, turning to face us, all traces of her earlier bout completely erased. "Well, not that it's a surprise. Touma-senpai was a mess when Onee-sama first left for England 5 years ago. Getting arrested by Judgement, having grades that are makes an abyss pale in comparison."

"So this Misaka Mikoto has been doing volunteer work for five years?' Awase asked. Kuroko glance d at me and I just gave her a shrug. "She must be an amazing person then huh?"

"W-well, of course she is. She is my Onee-sama after all." Kuroko answered. "Anyway, would you like to come with us, uhm...what was your name again?"

"Ah. My name is Awase Narushi, and how about you, Kuroko? Kuroko is your first name right? I mean, you call Idiot Touma by first name, so he must call you by first name too." Awase smiled so brightly, I thought I would go blind. I could see how Kuroko was tearing up as well, her breath hitching by the tiniest bit. I also noticed how she sent an accusing glance towards me when Awase said "Idiot Touma".

"Y-yes, that's right. My name is Shirai Kuroko. It's very nice to meet you, Awase Narushi-san." She took a small bow, before reaching out her hand to Awase and shaking it. "You really are a lot like her..." She mumbled in a low voice. But I could still hear her anyway.

"What was that?" Awase asked. "Meh, but anyway, you can call me Narushi, if you want, Kuroko. I already call you by name. I mean, Idiot Touma here says I look a lot like Misaka Mikoto, si if you'd like, you can treat me the same way you treated , and the same goes for you, Idiot Touma. You can call me Narushi, but the option of calling me Awase-sama still stands though."

"In your dreams, kid." I said, flicking her forehead. "Anyway, I'm assuming you were inviting her to my birthday party, Kuroko?" I asked, turning my attention to Kuroko, whose hands were shaking as she stared at Mikoto's memoriam. She cringed, and a soft sob escaped her lips.

"Uhm..." Narushi said, tapping my shoulder once. "I think..I'll step out for a bit, okay? Talk to you guys later." She bade, walking away from us, sparing the two of us one last glance before disappearing into the forest. Not that that's over and done with, time to deal with Kuroko. I turned around to face her once more. This time, Kuroko was sitting on the ground, her poise and pride as an ojou-sama and as the head of Judgement Branch 117 seemed to have left her.

"Hey, Kuroko?" I asked, walking over and sitting down next to her. Kuroko's shoulders shrugged, before she turned away and rubbed her eyes.

"She called you Idiot Touma so casually." She remarked. "I only know of one other person that could call you so freely like that. "

"I know."

"Her voice is just like hers. The same tone, timbre, the same everything. If I was blind, I would've mistaken her for Onee-sama." She said, her sobs getting more frequent and louder.

"I know." Damn it, Touma. Is that the best you can do?

"I actually mistook her for Onee-sama, so I lied earlier." Her hands were trembling, as she tried to wipe away the tears that constantly flowed out of her eyes. "When I walked in on the two of you, I honestly thought that Onee-sama had come back, but when she looked at me as if she didn't know me, reality hit me like a wall. I lied to you, Touma-senpai."

"Hey, its okay, Kuroko. I don't mind. I don't mind at all." I said, bringing my hand to the top of her head. I know that my actions mean nothing unless Mikoto was the one who is doing it, but it didn't hurt to try right? "I don't mind. I understand."

"I thought she returned." She said in between her sobs. Damn it, Kamijou Touma. You better not cry in front of her too, alright? "I thought...that she...finally r-returned to u-us. I thought that...that she was finally home. Th-that she went home, right in time for your birthday. I th-thought...I c-could introd-duce Keisuke t-to her. I th-thought I c-could tell her that I'm okay now. That all of us can be happy. I th-thought I c-could say that I...that I f-finally found my happiness!" Kuroko looked up at me, her eyes were all bleary and blurred with her tears, I could barely even see the colours within them. She latched on to me as if her life depended on it, as she cried her eyes out, not bothering to hold in her screams. I put my arms around her, rubbing her head as gently as I could.

"The last time I ever saw you like this was a week after Mikoto left." I said to no one in particular. I mean, I didn't expect Kuroko to answer me, or even hear me. "A week had gone by, and you didn't shed a single tear. Kazari-chan and Ruiko had been crying their eyes out all week, but you...you just sat quietly in a corner, staring off into space. We were all worried about you." Kuroko's sobs grew softer as her tears seemed to slow down. "I remember, one day, when we all parted ways after meeting up at the usual cafe, you said you had Judgement work. The girls believed you, but I didn't. So I followed you when you left. That was when I saw you crying all by yourself here, in front of her memoriam. I remember how sad I felt, and I cried like hell too, and we ended up crying and wailing together,"

"Y-you..." Kuroko muttered, sitting right up again, as she took her handkerchief and wiped her tears. "You were wailing louder than I was, from what I remember. And...and you said that I didn't need to worry."

"Uh-huh. That's right." I said nodding in approval at her. Kuroko tried to smile, but her tears got in the way. I took her handkerchief and wiped them away for her. "And what did I say after that? Do you still remember, Kuroko?"

"Of course I do.." She answered, her voice cracking again. "You said that I didn't need to worry...because...because Mikoto-neesama never breaks her promises! She'll surely come back. Before I know it, she'll be back in Academy City, kicking vending machines and picking fights with thugs as usual. I only...I only had to bear the pain for a little while, because when she returns, she'll be smiling brightly at me every single day, and I know that she's safe and happy. Then...then we'll all be happy, because she's finally home. No more pain, no more tears, no mare sadness and loneliness. I don't have to deal with a room of solitude anymore once she's back."

"That'sright." I said, smiling at her. "Mikoto will surely—"

"Kuroko-saaaan?" a voice erupted through the air. "Heeey! Kuroko-saaaan?!"

"That's... It's Keisuke, isn't it?" I asked, as Kuroko hurriedly tried to remove the traces of her tears, but alas, her boyfriend moves too fast, as per usual. Keisuke appeared before us, his brownish hair that somehow resembled moss looking as crazy as usual, his dark green eyes which bore into Kuroko's existence widening to the size of plates. "Yo, Keisuke! It's been awhile!"

"Touma-san?" Keisuke asked as he jogged towards us. "A girl that looked exactly like Misaka-sama told me where to find the both of you. Who is she?"

"Her name's Awase Narushi. Kuroko and I just met her today." I glanced over at Kuroko and saw that she looked, well, at least she looked sober enough. "I hope you don't mind. That I'm so close to Kuroko, I mean."

"I don't mind at all, Touma-san! Definitely not at all!" He knelt down in front of us and held Kuroko's face up with his hands. He smiled at her for a bit, before pulling her into a hug, his fingers threading through her hair. "I'm glad that Kuroko-san has someone like you who can watch over her like this. I also understand that you're relationship is very platonic, considering the things with Misaka-sama, so I'm not worried at all."

"Well, Kuroko was just crying, and I was just trying to calm her down, let me say that at least."

"Really, Touma-san! I don't—"

"Stop talking about me as if I'm not here, you idiots!" Kuroko suddenly piped in, smacking Keisuke in the head. "You both are seriously the two greatest headaches that I've ever met in my life."

"I'm thankful then, that Kuroko-san has me in her mind long enough to get a headache out of me." Keisuke smiled sweetly at Kuroko, making the latter blush like a tomato, stutter, and then look away. Man these two are adorable. "Alright, enough of the sweetness now, okay? We should pay our respects first, and then we'll head off to the party. You are joining us, right, Keisuke?"

"If you'll have me, Touma-san." He said with an embarrassed smile. "Kuroko-san and I haven't had the chance to hang out ever since she started college. I wanted to spend some time with her so, if you don't mind—"

"You don't need a reason to attend my party Keisuke." I interrupted him, before he could say anything more that would embarrass the hell out of Kuroko. "Just as long as you'll take care of that troublesome one, and make sure that she doesn't cry, you have my approval in anything. Hell, if you want to marry her, I'll even arrange the damn wedding for you guys!"

"TOUMA-SENPAI!" Kuroko shouted as she reached her limits. "STOP SAYING SUCH EMBARASSING THINGS ALRIGHT?!"

"Okay, okay." I said, waving my hands in front of me. I stood up and dusted the dirt off my pants as Keisuke helped Kuroko up as well. "Guess we'll be going then, BiriBiri. I'll see you later." I said, looking at the patch of flowers, with the additional bouquet that Kuroko brought.

"We'll be on our way, Misaka-sama." Keisuke said with a bow. Keisuke actually doesn't know the details. What he does know is that Mikoto was involved in something that caused her to 'disappear'. He never asked any questions regarding that, because he knew that Kuroko gets hurt every time he does. "I promise to take care of Kuroko-san, so you need not worry if such things."

"Oh shut up you.." Kuroko muttered, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. "We'll be going now, Mikoto-neesama. I'll tell you more stories when I get back okay? Until then." She said, bowing her head a bit before turning around and walking away. I looked back one more time at her memoriam, watching as the wind blew away some of the petals, making them swirl and dance in the wind. I just remembered, after I graduated high school, Mikoto and I danced the waltz under sakura petals, didn't we? The wind was carrying the petals like this too. Picking them up from the ground, making them sway and dance before sending them off to some faraway place. I turned away and started to walk until—

"Idiot Touma?"

"Miko—" I stopped myself from saying her name. She isn't Mikoto, you know that. "What is it, Narushi?" Why is it so easy for me to call her by her name, I wonder? I—

"You stupid idiot..." the voice repeated again. I looked back, only to be met with the image of petals dancing in the wind. No one was there. No one could have been there. Even for Narushi, it was impossible for her to come from this direction.

"My mind is seriously staring to get messed up...Such Misfortune..."

"Touma?" the voice called out again. By reflex, I immediately turned to where the voice came from, only to be met with the image of Mikoto stretching her hand out to me, as her other hand held a snack. No. She isn't Mikoto.

"N-Narushi..." I mumbled.

"Hmmm?" She said, munching on her chips that gave off a sound like *pari*pari*. "Whach ish it? Shouma?"

"N-nothing." I said, shaking my head. "Let's go? We wouldn't want to keep them waiting too long." I started walking ahead of her, and she hobbled behind me, in hopes of catching up. "Pick up the pace, Narushi! Don't be so slow!"

"If only you'd let me catch up to you!" She whined. "I'm eating for god's sake! Can't you slow down for a bit?!"

"Hurry it up, kid!"

"I'm only two years younger! You freaking idiot!" She screamed after me.

"Still younger than me!" I shouted in response. I don't know why, but I was laughing throughout the whole exchange. I heard Narushi grunt in annoyance, before she screamed as she came at me, running like a madman with their pants on fire. It's been so long Mikoto. It's been so long since I was able to smile and laugh happily like this. Since I was able to feel this much warmth and comfort. What is this supposed to mean, Mikoto? Is this one of those 'things' that you always send on my birthday? Is this just another meeting, or did you plan this? What are you—

"BEEEEE HAAAAAPPYYYYYYYY!" Narushi screamed, and before I knew it, a cloud of smoke ran past me. What the hell? Was that...Narushi just now? "HA! I BEAT YOU, YOU FREAKING IDIOT! I WON!" she screamed again, jumping up and down happily. When I was finally able to come up to her, we were already on the main road of the park. Keisuke and Kuroko were a few feet in front of us, immersing their selves in their own lovey-dovey presences.

"For a kid, you're pretty fast." I breathed out, as we were finally able to walk in a normal pace. "And what was up with the whole Be Happy thing you screamed just now?"

"Oh, that?" She said as she looked up to the sky, swallowing her chips. "It's a sort of mantra I guess. That phrase has been on my mind for quite some time now. I don't really know where it came from, whether it's an anime, or a story, or a book I've read before. But I've been dreaming about it for as long as I can remember. There's this voice in my said saying "Be happy, be happy. All you have to do is be happy."  
I don't really get it myself." She sighed, munching on the chips again. There goes that *pari*pari* sound again. "But anyway, who're those two? I'm joining you guys, but I don't have the faintest idea where were going or who I'm with."

"That's a bit stupid, don't you think?" I asked, earning me a glare from her. "Well, anyway, as you know, that girl's name is Shirai Kuroko. She's Mikoto's kouhai, younger by a year. They met when Mikoto was a 2nd year middle school student, Kuroko was a freshman, they've been roommates and friends ever since. Oh yeah, she's the head of the 117th branch of Judgement, so she can be a little on the strict side."

"Ah. That explains the needles." She said. "Is she a Teleporter then? What level?"

"Yep, she's a teleporter, top tier level 4 I think. She's extremely good at her powers and her job, so she may seem a bit sadistic at times, but over all she's a nice girl. And the guy's name is Yamada Keisuke. If I remember correctly, Kuroko met him when she was in her first year of high school, a while after Mikoto left. He's the same age as Mikoto, I think. He studied at an all boys academy that Judgement had to visit because of a bomb threat. That was where they clicked, I guess. There was a commotion and people were starting to panic, so things got a little out of hand, even for Kuroko. Keisuke stepped up and decided to help her, despite being a level 0 himself."

"No way." Narushi said out of disbelief. "Kuroko, a great level 4, dated a level 0?"

"There's nothing weird with that." I shrugged. "Ever since a legendary couple caught the eye of the public and made several scenes, the level caste discrimination was eradicated. People were able to freely interact with one another, not having to think of what level they were. It was because of those two, that the levels were given a purely scientific meaning, it didn't matter in social circles anymore."

"That's pretty cool. So, who was that legendary couple than?" Narushi's eyes brightened up as she inched closer to me, her expression pleading for an answer. "Do you know them? Can you introduce them to me?"

"You don't need any more introductions though." A familiar voice said. Narushi and I looked forward, seeing Kazari and Ruiko standing beside Kuroko and Keisuke, facing us with a smile. It was Ruiko that spoke. "The man you're talking to is legendary, after all."

"Oh, there you go again with your online myths, Ruiko." I sighed, scratching my head. "How many times do I have to tell you that they were called myths for a reason!"

"Maa, maa, Touma-nii." Kazari said, smiling brightly as usual. "No need to get worked up. It's your birthday! Anyway, it's very nice to meet you, Awase-san. My name is Uiharu Kazari, and this girl's name is Saten Ruiko." She said pointing to the space beside her Ruiko should've been, but well...Ruiko is still Ruiko after all. She was circling around Narushi like a hawk, eyeing her carefully.

"If Kuroko-san hadn't told me about you, I would've jumped on you and cried my heart out the very moment I saw you. You really do look like her, from every angle too." She commented, a faint smile on her face, obviously nearly brought to tears. "You look very beautiful, just like Mikoto-san." I could tell how that...upset Narushi. Nobody likes to be compared to someone they don't know after all. I mean, she already went through that with me and Kuroko after all.

"Ruiko-san! It's rude to compare her to our friend like that!" Kazari whined. "You shouldn't say that!"

"Well, for me to be compared to a very beautiful person is a compliment in itself, Saten-san." Narushi said with a smile, her earlier displeasure completely faded . "So, thank you."

"Waaah~! Even your voices are the same! Are you sure you really aren't Mikoto-san, or something?" Ruiko asked, grabbing Narushi's hands in both of hers and staring at her with her teary eyes.

"Really guys, you should probably stop it with the waterworks." I said, interrupting them. 'Narushi is probably thinking how weird we are. Whenever we mention Mikoto, someone always ends up in tears. That isn't a very good image for her, don't you think?"

"You're just saying that because you're protecting the pride of the female party of the legendary lovers that changed Academy City, Touma-nii." Ruiko said with a grin. "Did you know, Awase-san? Touma-nii and Mikoto-san are the ones that make up the legendary lovers. Mikoto-san was the 3rd strongest level 5, while Touma-nii is a level 0!" I literally saw Narushi's jaw fall apart.

"You didn't really have to tell her the details you know?" I muttered, fearing what's gonna happen next. "Now she's gonna think weirdly of me. Well, it's not as if she didn't think I was weird or anything, but...haaah." I just sighed in defeat, knowing that I had no power over the girls like this. Not even for my birthday.

"Well, we must not keep everyone waiting then." Kuroko announced to us. "Keisuke and I will go on ahead. We have to warn the others, so as not to bring...confusion to them later. I'm sure everyone will be shocked, once they see Narushi-san." She said with a faint smile on her face. I can't believe it. She's using a first name basis for someone she just met! Ruiko and Kazari-chan waved goodbye to them, before they turned back to me and Narushi.

"You really are something else, Narushi." I said, making the girl turn to me. "I can't believe Kuroko actually called you by your first name. Did you know that it took me years, and I mean about 5 years before she called me by my first name. It was always 'barbarian', or 'ape', or some other obscenity she could think of."

"I still can't get over the fact that someone like that Misaka Mikoto took you as her girlfriend." She said in disbelief.

"Well, in all honesty, I don't know either." I said as we started walking again, the other two girls walking ahead of us, but I could tell that they were listening in and staring at Narushi. "I've been asking myself that question for years now, and I still don't know the answer. But anyway, you can call her Misaka, or Mikoto you know. You don't have to use her full name."

"That's the least of my thoughts right now! I mean, a level 5 dated a level 0?"

"Haven't you ever heard of them before, Awase-san?" Ruiko asked. See? I knew they were listening in. "They were pretty big news."

"Ah, you can call me Narushi. Awase-san sounds too formal." She said with a small laugh. "But, no, I never heard of it. I didn't even know that Misaka was a level 5! I mean, from what Idiot Touma has told me, she was a really great girl, but for her to be a level 5 is amazing!"

"Then, Narushi-san?" Kazari-chan asked. "Could you tell us how you got to Mikoto-san's memoriam? The only ones who know about it are those closely related to Mikoto-san herself. If you didn't know her, how did you get there?"

"I was following a voice." She answered plainly. "It kept telling me to go there, like telling me instructions. Now that I think about it, it's the same voice that tells me the phrase "Be Happy"." The other two were still pretty confused, but they both looked at one another and gave each other reassuring smiles. I guess having someone who looked exactly like Mikoto but knew nothing about her was sort of disheartening. She has Mikoto's looks, but she isn't Mikoto herself. She never will be. Get that fact drilled into your brain! No matter how painful it may be.

"You know..." Ruiko muttered out, making all of us look at her. "I've been staring at Narushi-san's face for a while now, and I'm really sorry if I offend you by saying this but, you really look like Mikoto-san. It's not just a matter of resemblance or something. It's like...I mean, your voice, they way you talk, speak, and act is the same. Could it be possible that..."

"Ruiko-san, you know better than to conclude on things like that." Kazari-chan said, looking at Ruiko with an expression that I've never seen on her face before. It was as if she was reprimanding her."Assumptions will always be just assumptions."

"Hey..." Narushi whispered into my ear. "Why is it that I get the feeling that things seem a little intense right now?"

"Uhhhh...It's a girl thing I guess?" I shrugged. Okay, before something happens, I have to do—

"Narushi-san!" Ruiko suddenly stopped and held both of Narushi's hands, pulling her forward. "You- Do you think there's any chance that you might just be confused? That you might actually be the real Mikoto-san?"

"H-hey, Ruiko, that's—" I tried to step in, but Kazari had already walked over and swatted Ruiko's hands away. "H-hey, come on you two!"

"You should really learn to stop being so insensitive, Ruiko-san!" Kazari-chan reasoned. "I understand that you miss Mikoto-san, and you probably also feel responsible for her disappearance, I mean, we all do, but that doesn't give you the right to just right on accuse people of being Mikoto-san in a stage of amnesia or something! It's also very rude to compare others to her like that!"

"But you said you understood!" Ruiko retorted, grasping Narushi's hands once more, pulling her, but this time, Narushi fought back. "You shou—"

"Ah! No, wait!" Narushi panicked all of a sudden; pulling her arm away so strong that she actually pushed the athletic Ruiko back. Kazari was able to hold Ruiko before she fell, while I supported Narushi from behind. "N...no...it's...it's gone!"

"Huh? What's gone?" I asked, looking over shoulder. That was when I saw her panic-stricken face. She seemed so frightened. Her eyes were wide, as her hands visibly trembled. Her head went side to side, searching the ground for whatever it was that she lost. "H-hey, Narushi..."

"It...it can't be gone! It just can't!" She shouted, kneeling on the ground and feeling it for whatever it was she was searching for.

"You're kidding.." I heard Ruiko mutter out. I looked forward and saw her falling to the ground, with Kazari-chan supporting her. Even Kazari-chan seemed awe-struck. She was staring at something on her palm, something that she seemed familiar with. "I...I can't believe this... This..this was..."

"NO!" Narushi screamed, scrambling to her feet and grabbing whatever it was from Ruiko's palm. She held it close to her chest, before heaving a sigh. "You can't take it away from me! This is mine got it?! MINE!"

"What are you guys getting so stressed about?!" Man this is pissing me off. First Ruiko and Kazari-chan get into some girl banter, and now Narushi looks like she just lost the screw in her head—

"N...Narushi-san...that ring..." Kazari-chan muttered, trying to reach out to the other girl. "That...that ring is..."

"It's mine!" Narushi shouted, seemingly calmer than before. "It's mine, okay?! Mine, I tell you!" Okay, now I am seriously confused her. I stomped my way over to Narushi's frazzled figure and knelt down. I grabbed her hands and brought them closer to me, my eyes zeroing in on the ring on her finger.

I honestly wish I hadn't.

"If..." Ruiko said, just before Narushi pulled back her hand from me. I was too stunned to even fight back or hold her in place. "If even Touma-nii is like that...then that means..."

"That ring..." Kazari-chan said, staring at Narushi, her tears already flowing out of her eyes. "That ring really is Mikoto-san's. That's their engagement ring!"

**-chapter end-**

**HEYOOW! I really had nothing to say in the first part. Anywho, I'm actually posting this the tonight because I'm going home tomorrow, back to my hometown! Yaaaaaaaay! I live in a dorm right now, if it wasn't obvious enough, so I'm going home for the weekends. I know that I wont be able to post this any time other than tonight since I have to finish reading the references for school, so yeah. But I really wanted to thank the ones who reviewed, faved and followed! Thank you very much! I do apologize if it isn't much, but I'll do my best in the latter chapters. **

**Really, I feel like everything I've been writing so far is like crap, but I seriously don't want to change it. Is it weird? Anyway, I haven't proof read this. So that's another thing to apologize for.**

**Okay, now story-wise. Just when they were accepting the fact that Narushi wasn't Mikoto, they notice something that totally throws them off! She has a different existence from Mikoto, but why does she have Mikoto's ring? Wanna know the answer? Read the next chapter!**

**Well, bye now! Thanks again for supporting this, the same way you all supported the first three stories prior to this! Ja-neeeee~!**


	3. Is It Time to Give Up?

Chapter 3—Is It Time to Give Up?

I've been put in a lot of crappy situations; I'm sure all of you know that. I've been subjected to the worst kinds of fate, due to the misfortune brought by my right hand. I've been to hell and back by losing the one I loved the most so many damned times that I already lost count. I've probably died a few times too, but for some reason, I always stand right back up again. So, to be put simply, I've been through a lot. But this has to be the most confusing of all.

Here I am, watching Awase Narushi, a girl I just met that happens to have an uncanny resemblance to my fiancée Misaka Mikoto, cry her eyes out. And worse than that, on her finger lies the engagement ring I gave to Mikoto the day she disappeared.

"I've only seen that ring once before..." Ruiko said in a low voice as she stared in shock. "When Touma-nii came and asked for our blessing, he showed us the ring—THAT ring. I'm not hallucinating or mistaking this, aren't I?"

"I didn't want to come up with conclusions, nor go along with the assumptions that Ruiko-san makes..." Kazari added, holding onto Ruiko's arms for support. "But...this makes it different. Touma-nii, tell us. Is that ring really your engagement ring? Is she really Mikoto-san?"

'_Don't pelt me with questions even I don't know the answer to!_' I wanted to say to them, but I couldn't. I was too transfixed by the ring on Narushi's finger. The exact same ring that I had given to Mikoto, the ring that she had worn with tears and smiles gracing her face, the ring that I had given to her on that fateful night. I'm pretty sure that it disappeared along with Mikoto. I searched this place so many times, I'm sure that it couldn't have been found by just anyone. Awase Narushi isn't just anyone. She isn't just a random girl I came to know, and it isn't just a coincidence that everyone is meeting her one by one.

"I..Idiot...Touma?" Narushi asked, peeking behind from her messy curtain of her that covered her face. She was crying, but why? "Idiot..Touma...I—I..."

"That ring is from the same collection as the pendant. It's from the limited edition Spring Happy Romance." I muttered, knowing that all eyes were on me right now. "It's very valuable and only a few of them were made, but it's possible." I said, trying to smile at her as I stood up.

"Possible...what?" Ruiko asked as she watched me stand.

"Possible that she bought the exact same ring." I answered turning around and facing the two girls. I reached my hand out to both of them, and they took it as they stood up. "It's not like I had it specifically made for Mikoto or anything. It was also store-bought. There's a chance that Narushi just bought the same one."

"But isn't it a little too coincidental?" Kazari whined. "That a girl that looks exactly like Mikoto-san, has the exact same ring that you gave to her?"

"Hey now, aren't you supposed to be the rational one, Kazari-chan?" I said, lightly chopping the top of her head, careful not to ruin the flowers that still decorated her hair, even after all these years. "Leave the assumption making to Ruiko, okay?"

"B-but Touma-nii-!" Ruiko tried to argue, but I chopped her head, harder that Kazari-chan's but still not causing any real pain.

"Coincidence is just as mysterious as destiny, isn't it?" I reasoned, hopefully ending the conversation there. When neither of them said a word, I smiled before patting the place where I chopped them. Then I turned around and faced Narushi who still held her hand close to her heart, her tears drying up. She slowly looked up, her hair still covering her face. I knelt down beside her and she flinched, but I just smiled and reached out my hand to tuck her hair behind her ears. "It probably isn't fun, nor would it feel nice to be compared to a girl you never even knew, so we're really sorry for that, Narushi."

"I...I—It's okay..." she muttered lowly, tearing her gaze away from me.

"Girls?" I called out, turning my head so that I could look at Ruiko and Kazari-chan. "Would you girls go on ahead? I'll take care of Narushi here."

"But Touma-nii!" Ruiko reasoned, stepping forward a bit. "Shouldn't we—"

"We understand, Touma-nii." Kazari-chan said, grasping Ruiko's arm. "We get it, we'll leave. I'm very sorry for our behaviour, Narushi-san."She said turning away and dragging Ruiko by her arm, despite the latter's struggles.

"Kazari! You too?" I heard Ruiko's voice echo from afar. Once they were completely out of hearing range and sight, I focused all of my attention back to Narushi. I guess I must be pretty lucky sometimes too. Usually, people would be walking along this part of the park at this hour, but for some reason, it was completely desolate. The only humans there were just me and Narushi.

"I'll say it again, Narushi. We're really sorry." I said, crossing my legs as I sat in front of her. "I've already told you, haven't I? About how suddenly Mikoto left, how we all miss her, and all that. You already know, so all I can ask of you is to understand." Narushi looked at me for a bit before she tried fixing her hair.

"You're lying, aren't you?" She suddenly said as she swept her hair from her face.

"Huh?"

"I said, you're lying." She repeated, once she was done with her hair. She sat before me, her fingers absently playing with the ring on her left hand ring finger. "Misaka Mikoto isn't a volunteer worker, isn't she? She probably isn't away in some country too."

"How'd you come up with that conclusion?" Damn. I knew how similar she was to Mikoto, but to think that their similarity even goes as far as their mental capacity?!

"Kazari-san said something interesting, about how Ruiko-san blamed herself for Misaka Mikoto's sudden disappearance. She disappeared; she didn't leave for another country. And besides, if she did just leave, what was there for Ruiko-san to blame herself for? Another thing is, all of you, Idiot Touma, Kuroko, Kazari-san and Ruiko-san, you're all too emotional when it comes to Misaka-san. Even going so far as to mistake me for her, and comparing me to her like I'm some kind of Spot the Difference game in comics." She elaborated, staring at the ground beneath us.

"I have to admit, you're pretty good at deducing stuff." I tried to play off my nervousness with a smile. "What do you think really happened then?"

"Misaka Mikoto is dead, isn't she?" Okay, now that one stung. I tried opening my mouth to speak, but nothing came out of it."But if it were something as easy as death, then all of you wouldn't go through the trouble of finding and putting up a hidden memoriam, and you all wouldn't be so hopeful of her return. That's what I don't understand." She said, finally looking up at me. "You all know that she's dead, and high chances are that she'll never come back, so why are you all hopeful? I just don't get it."

"You're not going to ask me?" I wondered. "You ended your question with a statement saying that you didn't get it. We were taught in Psychology 101 that it's a way to end inquisitions. If you really don't get it, why aren't you asking me anything at all?"

"Everyone has their secrets to keep." She said, and I didn't miss the second she spent staring at the ring."We all have skeletons in our closets that we don't want to show. What right do I have to intrude? More so that I just met you today." Narushi answered with a smile. Really, this girl. She's just like Mikoto, saying the prettiest words that can confuse you and distract you from the original topic. But I can say this for sure, that ring has a secret. I'm usually a guy that respects personal space, but this time, I couldn't give a damn. But for now...

"That's settled then." I said, standing up. "I know how much we must've inconvenienced you this afternoon, but I'd really like you to come to the failed attempt of a surprise party my failure of people as friends prepared for me. If you don't mind that is."I reached out my hand to her, but she just looked up at me, then stared at my hand. She held onto it a while later, as I pulled her up.

"I'd like that very much, Idiot Touma." Narushi said with a small blush on her cheeks. I let go of her hand and began leading the way to the meeting place, fully knowing that I was 10 minutes late, with Narushi walking beside me. "Hey, Idiot Touma?"

"Hmm?"

"This ring, it's mine." She said. "It belongs to me, not to Misaka Mikoto."

"Alright then." I smiled, and she smiled back at me. I don't know what's wrong with me, but why is it that I feel like I'm doing Mikoto a favour rather than betraying her by spending time with Narushi like this?

* * *

"I ALREADY SAID I'M SORRY DIDN'T I?!" I screamed as I ran as fast as I could. I'd do anything just to get away from this predicament I'm in.

"Don't you dare start with me you b-st-rd!" Fukiyose shouted after me. DAMN IT! How come she's running so fast but she's not panting at all?! "It is your freaking birthday may I remind you! And we were the ones who worked our asses off to make this work and you're 15 minutes late?! More to the point that you not only make Shirai-chan cry, you let Ruiko and Kazari-chan walk all on their own when it's already dark, and you also sashayed in here, 15 MINUTES LATE I MIGHT ADD, bringing a clueless girl over here which almost makes it seem as if you kidnapped her!"

"YOU FIND TOO MANYY FAULTS IN ME, FUKIYOSE!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the park, as my friends, which is mostly composed of Tsuchimikado, Aogami, Fukiyose, the three girls, Himegami, Keisuke, and Misaka Imouto. Heaven Canceller and Heaven Arbiter were here too, but now they've gone missing. "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, REMEMBER?!"

"AND YOU THINK I'D GIVE A DAMN?!" she hollered, throwing something at me. It hit me straight in the head, making me fall face first on the ground. "Haaa. We probably shouldn't have gone through all the trouble of preparing this for you!"

"I never asked you for this though..." I muttered, sitting up, my arms supporting my upper body. "Gaah, that one hurt." I said as I finally sat down on the ground. "What did she even throw—" I saw a pair of legs come into view, before they bended down, and I was met with Narushi's face.

"Are you alright?" She asked, holding out a handkerchief, wiping at the corner of my mouth. "That must've hurt, but I'm not really against it though."

"Are you comforting me or insulting me?" I asked irritably. But in reality, I was happy. Happy that my friends are all here. Happy that I'm celebrating my birthday with them. Happy that Narushi is with me. Happy that—WAIT, WHAT? "Sometimes I just don't get you, you know that?"

"Why are you talking to me as if we'd known each other for so long, Idiot Touma?"Narushi said with a laugh. "Don't act so close to me. I've only known you for two or three hours tops."

"And yet you call me Idiot Touma as if you'd known me forever." I answered back snidely. "Whose the one acting all clingy now huh?"

"I never said anything about being clingy, you idiot!"

"Oh, yeah we—"

"You guys gonna stop that banter, or are we gonna have to drag your love-sick ass, Kami-yan's love sick-ass I mean, away from each other so we can get this party started?" Tsuchimikado said, hands on his waist as he stared down at me. I know this, because even behind those shades of his, I could see his eyes boring holes into my being.

"Ah, I'm sorry for intruding on you like this." Narushi hurriedly stood up and dusted the ends of her skirt with her hands. "It must be weird for you all, seeing as you'll be celebrating with someone you don't know. So please allow me to introduce myself. Hello, and good evening to you all. My name is Awase Narushi, I met Idiot Touma earlier today, and by some unseen circumstance, I'm joining you all tonight. I hope we all get along." She took a slight bow at the end of her speech.

"Oh, don't be so formal, Awase-chan!" Fukiyose said, slinging an arm over Narushi's shoulder. "Why don't I introduce you to the others then? Any friend of Kamijou, as long as they aren't maniacs, is a friend of ours!" She said cheerily as she dragged Narushi away from me—I mean, us.

"H-hey, wait!" I said, standing up. "Fukiyo—" I was stopped when I saw the serious, discriminating look in her eyes, as she looked over Narushi's shoulder. Before I knew it, she had dragged Narushi over to the girls and they were having a nice cheery chat.

"What the hell?" I breathed out, remembering how dangerous the look in her eyes was. She never looked at me that way before, not even back when I was being a stupid teenager.

"So, even after 4 years of being in love, and 4 years of losing that love, you still are pretty dense and stupid, huh, Kami-yan?"Tsuchimikado said as he leaned on one of the tree trunks, arms crossed over his chest. "Or are you really just playing stupid? Which is it?"

"What are you talking about, Tsuchimikado?" I asked, my confusion obvious. "Whenever you get like this, some serious sh-t will be happening so—"

"It won't be happening Kami-yan." He said, shaking his head as he looked over to the girls who all sat under a tree, sharing a huge jug of juice, which hopefully doesn't have any alcohol involved in it. "I mean, it has already begun."

"Is this about Narushi?" I asked, my voice pointed and sharp. "Is this about the fact that she's almost like another Mikoto a—"

"That's your problem right there, Kami-yan." Aogami said, carrying three cups of whatever it was, as he walked closer to us. "Awase-chi isn't Misaka-chan. So why are you with her?"

"Don't give her damned weird pet names Aogami, or swear to God, I'll blast your head off." I don't know what drove me to sound like that, or even say those words. Aogami can be a jerk towards girls, sure, but he's still my friend. I shouldn't get easily agitated like this.

"You said something like that before too." Tsuchimikado said taking the two cups from Aogami and handing one over to me. "5 years ago. Right after we graduated from high school, remember that Aogami called Misaka-chan "Misa-chan" and you got all ballistic and possessive of her?"

"I had every right to do that, didn't I? I was her boyfriend after all." I clenched my fist, not really knowing why. "And besides, I promised Narushi that I'd give her a nickname. I just...don't like it when other guys do that for her."

"And why is that?" Aogami asked, before he drank from his cup. "Why don't you like it when other guys call her names?"

"Well...that's..." Goddamit. I don't really know what's going on here, but I seriously get the feeling that I won't like whatever it is they have to say. "Look, this is none of your business so—"

"Because you see Misaka-chan, right?" Tsuchimikado said, a playful tone in his voice. "Whenever you look at her, talk to her, interact with her, or maybe even share glances with her, all you see is Misaka-chan. That's all there is to it. You know that, don't you, Kami-yan?"

"You have to understand that she isn't Misaka-chan, Kami-yan." Aogami added. "We're saying this to you right now because we want to get you away from trouble as much as we can. B-st-rds we may be, we're still your friends. And more than anything, we know that you deserve your peace, Kami-yan."

"Don't play god with my life, you b-st-rds." I am seriously out of my mind right now. "I am aware of how alike they are, but that doesn't mean that I love Mikoto any less or that I'm falling for someone like Narushi just because she looks like Mikoto."

"With the way things are going now, can you promise us that that will never happen?" Tsuchimikado said, standing up from his leaning position. He walked over to me as he threw away his cup and grabbed my collar with his right hand. He then removed his glasses with his left hand, making me look straight into his eyes. "Can you promise us, Kami-yan? That you won't fall for her?"

"Hey, Tsuchimi—"

"Shut the f-ck up." I muttered, cutting Aogami off. He was about to grab Tsuchimikado's arm, but I swatted it away. "You b-st-rds know nothing, alright? Have you guys ever taken a girl seriously before?! No, you haven't. You don't know what it feels like, so back off. And besides, wouldn't falling in love with Narushi be a good thing for me? If that happened, that would mean that I finally moved on from Mikoto. I can finally have my life back a—" A fist introduced itself to my cheek without my consent. It hurt, a lot, but to hell with that. I turned my head, ready to pounce on Tsuchimikado, but I was surprised to see Aogami's fist in my field of vision.

"Since when were you able to say selfish words like that, huh Kamijou?" Aogami said darkly, as his head hung low. He didn't call me Kai-yan. "In normal cases, I'd be happy that you're thinking about yourself for once, but not now. Not now when someone as important as Misaka-chan is on the line. Have you ever even begun to consider how Awase must feel if she finds out?! You'll be hurting more than just yourself Kamijou. You'll be hurting three hearts, two of those happen to very young, fragile, female hearts. I'm glad I'm finally done." He then suddenly stomped off, and I couldn't even get a word to him. Tsuchimikado let go of my collar as he wore his shades again.

"You deserved that, you know." He said, leaning back on the tree trunk.

"I don't need to hear that from you." My fist clenched.

"Aogami did that because he thought it was right." Tsuchimikado stated with a shrug. "I can't really say whether that was right or wrong, but if there's one thing I am sure of, it's that I would've beaten the sh-t out of you if he hadn't punched you. You deserve it for all that bullsh-t you said."

"Is it really so wrong for me though?" I asked, both of my hands clenching into fists. "Is it really so wrong for me to be selfish? To want to move on from a girl that's not even sure whether she'll return or not? What the hell did I do to deserve that? And what did Aogami mean when he said that he was glad he was done?" Tsuchimikado was silent for a moment, before he breathed a sigh and stared at the scene of the girls again.

"Your timing was just off, Kami-yan." He said. "You may not know it, but Aogami was the one who spearheaded the whole surprise party thing. Unbelievable, right?"

"Seriously?" I asked, my head turning to face him. I then glanced over to Aogami who was chugging down a cup, slinging an arm over Keisuke's shoulders. Kuroko was a raging bull at this point. "You're lying. That isn't possible."

"If someone had told me that, I would've said the same thing. But problem is, I saw how hard he worked for this to happen. I'm almost sure that you didn't know this, but Misaka-chan also had a letter for Aogami. It was inside mine, and in my letter, I was instructed to give it to Aogami and pester him to fulfil her wish."

"What're you going on about no—"

"Misaka-chan asked Aogami to make sure you never forgot to celebrate your birthday for four years." Tsuchimikado stated as he stretched his arms upwards. "She begged and pleaded in her letter, seriously, I've read it. She said that no matter what, under no circumstances, were you to forget your own life just because she lost hers. Having birthday parties was the easiest way to do that. And believe it or not, Aogami has been doing his best for four years. He completed Misaka-chan's request."

"So that's why he was so pissed..." I muttered. Damn it, how could I have been so stupid?! Now that I think about it, everything makes sense! How Aogami always mysteriously becomes less irritating when my birthday is coming around, and why he argued with Fukiyose over it, even when he knew he'd get hurt. "That b-st-rd is actually a really great friend."

"Misaka-chan knew that from the start, that's why she asked him to do it, and not anyone else. I think that's another one of her plans. To make sure you realize that great people are surrounding you, and that they're willing to do everything for you."

"But why for four years?" I asked again. Hey, I have a lot of questions in my head right now, okay? Don't blame me for being so inquisitive. "Why did she give a specific amount of time?"

"If I remember correctly, Aogami said it was stated in the letter why. But you have to ask him for it though. It is his letter." Tsuchimikado said sticking his tongue out at me. "Oh, there's another thing I wanted to talk to you about, Kami-yan. Can you promise me not to go ballistic?"

"Depends on what you say, but I don't go ballistic without the Dragon King, so I guess you're good to go." I shrugged. Tsuchimikado took a few steps closer to me, before placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Awase Narushi isn't who she says she is." What the he— My eyes widened at his words, and I couldn't find my voice. "I don't know is she's lying or she really doesn't know, but I'm sure that there's more to her than meets the eye. You'd better be careful. And what Aogami said is true. If you fall in love with her things are going to get more damned than usual. I'll try looking into things, so I'll catch ya later." Tsuchimikado slipped past me and he disappeared into the forest. I was too stunned that I couldn't even look back and call out to him, so I could get all these questions out of my head. But since he was gone, I only had one option left.

Aogami Pierce.

I took a deep breath before mustering up my courage and walking towards him. As I walked, I tried to think things over in my head. Mikoto left Aogami a specific instruction to remind me every year of my birthday in the form of a party. Aogami has dutifully done this over these past years. Mikoto instructed him to do it for four years exactly. Narushi isn't who she says she is, but she might not know that herself.

Oh for goodness sake, what the hell is wrong with my life?

"Aogami?" I involuntarily voiced out. SH-T. Since when did I get here?! I really should fix my bad habit of thinking while walking. Aogami stopped chugging down his cup and looked at me, as Keisuke looked up and smiled at me. The girls were too engrossed in their chitchat that they didn't notice me. "Aogami, can we talk?" I asked. Damn, this is nerve wracking.

"What's there left to talk about, Kami-yan?" Aogami said with a drunken slur, but I sure as hell knew that he wasn't drunk. "I said what I wanted to say, and you said what you wanted to say. Isn't that enough talking for you? I even had my fist say a few words right to your face."

"You punched him, Aogami-senpai?" Keisuke asked, looking surprised. "Now that I look closely, your cheek does look a bit swollen, Touma-san. Are you alright? Do you need any help?"

"I'm fine, Keisuke. No need to worry about me." I said, smiling at him. This boy is too good for his own good. Ha. That was stupid. "But seriously Aogami. I really am sorry, but please. I just really need to talk to you. Just a few minutes, I pro—"

"HOOOWAAAAH!" Aogami suddenly yawned out loud as he stretched his arms upward and fell back on the picnic mat. "I think I'm getting a little tipsy~! I think I already had too much to drink, silly me~! Maybe I should just go home? Yeah, that's right. Go home~!"

"Aogami! Serious—"

"I'll be leaving now, okay?" He said, suddenly standing up and walking away. "Sorry I couldn't stay for the festivities Kami-yan! I wouldn't want to spoil the party by hanging around as a drunken jerk!"

"AOGAMI! WAIT!" I shouted after him, but he had already turned the corner, and I knew that it was useless to go after him now. We might just end up in a brawl on the night of my 24th birthday. That's not really a good way to spend my birthday. I just sighed and turned back, walking over to the place where he used to sit and plopped down beside Keisuke.

"Is everything alright, Touma-san?" Keisuke asked me as he took a bite from a sandwich, which I don't know who prepared, who cooked for my past birthdays too? "You and Aogami-senpai are really good friends, it's not good for you to fight like that."

"We weren't fighting. Just a little squabble, I guess." I shrugged taking a chicken lollipop from the basket. "That jerk didn't even greet me Happy Birthday. He totally failed in his mission."

"AH! That reminds me!" Keisuke suddenly exclaimed before he rummaged through his bag. "Aogami-senpai had instructed me earlier to give this to you." He said, handing over a white envelope to me. "He asked me to give this to you, if he couldn't do it himself. I don't think he's capable of that right now."

"T-thanks...Keisuke." I muttered, staring at the envelope in my hands. "Hey, can I leave everyone else to you? I think I'll go visit Mikoto's memoriam for a bit. Make sure you won't get anyone too drunk or woozy, alright?"

""Sure thing, Touma-san" Keisuke replied with a smile. I smiled back at him before I turned around and walked to Mikoto's memoriam. Going there for so many times, I've already found a ton of shorter routes to reach the memoriam. So, I was able to get there in no time. Once I was seated in my usual position, I hurriedly opened the envelope which revealed two things: a note card, and another envelope with Aogami's name on it. I opened the note card first and I couldn't believe my eyes.

_**Happy birthday Kami-yan~! Nyaaa~! You're already 24 right? Time sure does fly by huh? I remember how we all first met back in high school: you, me and Tsuchimikado, I mean. Those were fun days weren't they? I really wish I could've done more for you, Kami-yan. I wish I understood what was happening before, with Misaka-chan all that other crap. I'm really sorry for being a useless friend. This is something a girl gave me, and you know how I value girls' gifts, but I think you deserve to know a little bit of truth.**_

_**Happy Birthday again, Kami-yaaan~! *insert cat drawing here***_

"Well, I'll be damned." I muttered as I stared at Aogami's crappy handwriting. "Aogami actually did this kind of thing." I seriously owe him a major apology for everything. But enough of that, I put aside Aogami's letter and went on to Mikoto's letter for him.

_**Aogami-senpai,**_

_**Please don't think too much of me writing to you. I will never hit on you, ever. Just so we are clear.**_

_** By the time you read this, I know you've probably heard of everything, and I'm sure you won't understand it. I'm really sorry, but if Touma is really taking things hard, then present this letter to Tsuchimikado-senpai. I'm letting him explain everything to you. I actually asked him to give this to you for two reasons: one, I couldn't give it to you directly, and two, I knew that he wouldn't fail me, by all means. I know and understand that the two of you are Touma's best friends, despite being the b-st-rds you are. And I'm thankful for that, NOT THE B-ST-RD PART OKAY?**_

_** As you may already know, I can't be with Touma right now, and for an undetermined period of time. I know he'll probably be distraught with this, but I believe in him, I believe that he can live through this. I write this letter to you, Aogami-senpai. I have a favour to ask. I know that we're not really close, and whenever we do talk it only contains your pervertedness, but please, for your friend's sake, for Touma's sake, I ask you to grant me this favour. I want you to remind him that he still has a life. Remind him that even though I am not by his side, all of you will be there for him. He still has his entire life to look forward to. I don't know how you'll be able to pull this off, maybe with birthday parties? As I said, if that idea sucked, I really have no clue, but please. Please, do this for me, for him.**_

_** You should know how good a person Touma really is. He deserves to be happy, and I'm afraid I won't be the one to be able to give him that. I can't, no matter how much I want to. We both know he's been through a lot, and I know I'm putting him through hell once again. So I want to apologize to you too. Please, please, please, please. I'm already begging here alright? Please grant me my wish, for only four years. For just four years after you receive this letter. I'll do something by myself after that time. When that's over, I won't ask you anything else but to continue being his friend. I really want to thank you, Aogami-senpai. Despite being the pervert that you are, deep down inside, I know you're still a good person and an even greater friend.**_

_**-Misaka Mikoto**_

_**P.S. I gave this same warning to Tsuchimikado-senpai. Touch my friends against their will and you will die. Die, I tell you.**_

I stared at the sheet of paper in my hands as the wind blew gently all around me. What the actual hell is going on here? Kuroko has told me before that I was mentioned in all of the letters that Mikoto wrote for us, I mean so far I've only read mine, Kuroko's, and this time Aogami's, but it's too much of a coincidence for me to be mentioned in all three. And what did she mean by '**I'll do something myself after that'.** Is she coming back or what? I don't get it. I don't get a single sh-tty thing that's happening to me right now. Damn it. No one's gonna answer me if I just talk to myself about it. I quickly grabbed my phone and dialled that person's number. It rang a few times, before the mesh started sounding together.

"Hello—"

"You knew all along?" I cut him off with my words as my hand trembled with the letter. "You knew all along, what happened to her?"

"Dude, you—"

"Answer me Aogami!" I shouted, unable to handle my emotions any longer. If anyone else were in my position right now, they'd be pretty pissed too. Not at other people, they'd be pissed at themselves. The same way I am now. The line stayed quiet for a few seconds, just until Aogami spoke.

"I met Misaka-chan before she left." He said. Oh great, another person that Mikoto talked to before she left. Who else did she talk to huh? "It was on that exact same day that she left. I figured you'd be at her hospital room first thing in the morning, so I came at around 10 or something. But you weren't there."

"She e-mailed me and said that I should make plans for the day and just meet up with everyone for some dinner." I said, not really knowing why.

"Misaka-chan told me that too. I was really surprised when I saw her you know?" His tone seemed soft and sentimental as he recounted what had happened that day. Things that I didn't know about. "Accelerator, that albino vector freak was there with her, along with a young version of Misaka-chan and a girl who looks exactly like Misaka-chan. For a second, I thought she was cheating on you and had kids with that freakazoid behind your back." Your joke is not appreciated, Aogami.

"Those were her sisters. Accelerator is the guardian of the youngest one." I said through gritted teeth.

"I know. When I asked Misaka-chan what they were doing and why you weren't there, she just smiled sadly at me. i haven't really been that close to her, but for some reason, I felt sick to my core when I saw her like that. It was as if she was about to jump off a cliff and die, believing that that would make the world a better place. She seemed so noble, yet so pitiful at the same time. I had no romantic interest in her, contrary to what I usually said. She was yours Kami-yan, everyone knew that, but Ielt really protective of her. I asked her what was wrong, but then she teared up, but she was still smiling as she said that she was okay. The youngest sister suddenly cried, so Misaka-chan had to pat her head, but she ended up wailing even louder. The other Misaka-chan escorted her outside, so I was left with Misaka-chan and Accelerator. Then we just talked."

"What did you talk about?"

"Simple things, really." He answered in his usual relaxed manner. "The weather, food, some anime, and you. She was so cheery as we talked, but when you were mentioned, she turned sentimental all of a sudden. She thanked me for taking care of you, and for being such a great friend, but then she asked me to leave. I didn't want to, but Accelerator threatened to kill me if I didn't get out of his sight. I had to oblige. Misaka-chan just smiled at me and waved good bye. Until the very end, she didn't cry."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, gripping the empty envelope in my hands. "We're friends aren't we? Why didn't you tell that you knew everything?"

"I only found out after I read the letter." He replied. "I don't know any of the details, if that's what you're so mad about. I asked Tsuchimikado after reading it, and he asked me if I really wanted to know. I said that I only wanted the basics, so he told me that Misaka-chan had given her life to save everyone. Returning is possible, but not probable. He said that it'd take its toll on you someday, so it's better if I didn't add to it." The line went quiet for a while, neither of us saying anything. I don't know what the case was for him, but for me, I was beyond dumbstruck. "That was the reason why I was so mad at you earlier Kami-yan. Misaka-chan loved you with all she had, right until the very last second, but then you said some pretty crappy stuff about using a different girl with great resemblance to Misaka-chan to move on and forget all about her. Awase came into your life on your fourth birthday after she left. Call me crazy, but it seems like she orchestrated all of this to happen. Do you realize how stupid that is?"

I do. I really, really do. If falling in love was as easy as that, I would've done so long ago. If forgetting about Mikoto was as easy as that, I wouldn't be as tormented as I am now. If only...If only things really were that easy.

"I'll let you be, Kami-yan. Give yourself some time to think things through. I've already done my part, it's time for you to think of yours. I actually think that Misaka-chan planned all of this. She knew that this was gonna happen someday, it's up to you to find out what role you play. Oh, and happy birthday, Kami-yan." And with that, Aogami Peirce had hung up on me, leaving me to wallow in my own thoughts.

Let me get this straight. Mikoto gave Tsuchimikado a letter, which contained a letter for Aogami. In that letter, she asked him to set up birthday parties for me for 4 years. It just so happens that I met Narushi on my fourth birthday after she left, on the day that Mikoto's request expires. She said she'd do something about it herself after the four years. Don't tell me...

"Oh god, Mikoto..." I mumbled, placing my fist against my forehead as I looked up to the starry night sky. "Is this it? Is this your way of telling me that waiting is useless? That it's about time I gave up?"

But why after four years? If she had known that she could never come back, then why did she tell me that she could? Why did she purposely make me wait for her return? Why is everything happening right now? Me meeting Narushi, finding about your request to Aogami, the letter, the Happy Geko, the talk you had with the ice cream truck driver. Why? Why the f-ck are things getting complicated?

"What the hell are you really trying to do, Mikoto?"

-chapter end-

**Okay, funny story. So, I was bored out of my wits today so I went on and read random stories from FF. I literally wasn't looking at the titles and authors, so I happened to chance upon one particular story. I was wondering why the story line seemed so familiar to me and why I was able to guess everything that happened next. **

**I was an idiot.**

**I was reading my own freaking story. I forgot that I was in the middle of writing my own freaking story! How could I forget that, right?! I mean, sure I can forget to update it or something, but I totally forgot the existence of FYF:AR. That's just stupid. Sorry, random rambling here. Anyway, this is actually the first time that I had a solid plot line for a story, but as the saying goes "Sometimes, things just don't happen the way you expect them to". So, my original plot was for this to be three chapters, but now, it'd be cruel and stupid to leave it as it is. One, Touma meets Narushi, two they get to know each other better, and three, well, I wont tell you three because that's be a spoiler. But anyway, MY PLAN IS COMPLETELY RUINED. So I don't know what to expect either. Oh well, good luck to me!**

**Sorry if you think that the progression of the story is slow. Things will probably pick up in the next one! Next chapter: we'll add a little bit of spice, after Kamijou Touma's four years of being a mundane level zero! Care to guess how? You have to admit, every To aru fic has got to have a little bit of action in it, riiight~?**

**Ja-neee~!**


	4. Night of Confusion

Chapter 4 – Night of Confusion

No.

No. I refuse to accept this. I absolutely refuse to accept this...this...this _pity party_ that Mikoto set up for me! What the hell is this supposed to be? Does Mikoto honestly think that I'll give up just like that? That after finding out about all this crap that she laid out for me, I'd just be good and accept it? NO WAY! THERE IS NO F-CK-NG WAY IN HELL I'LL ACCEPT THIS!

"What the hell, Mikoto?!" I said, gripping the letter in my hands tightly. "What the freaking hell? Did you honestly think that I'll accept all of this? That I'll just sit still while you match me up with girls who look like you, making sure that I'm surrounded by friends and all that sh-t?! I don't need your freaking pity, damn it!" I slammed my fist right beside the memoriam, careful not to harm any of the flowers. "I don't need your pity. All I ever really need is...is you." My voice trailed off, as the silence engulfed my entire presence. "All I need..is for you to come back..."

I didn't want to live, honestly. I know that that's no way to think through problems. But humans all have their moments of weakness, don't they? We're just humans after all. We're not immune to pain or suffering or anger or anguish or any other negative emotion this damned world can conjure up.

"I remember...thinking how beautiful this world was, Mikoto..." I mumbled to no one. Call me crazy, but I don't even have the mind to think right now. "I remember appreciating every single thing there is in this planet, thinking that you gave your life to save all of it. But now...now I think everything is crap. Everything...looks like crap to me right now. You—"

"IIIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" A shrill shriek, accompanied by loud rumbling of thunder suddenly boomed through my ears. That's...SH-T! That was Narushi's voice! I stood up, my feet pounding through the ground, taking me to that place under the cherry tree where the girls, along with Keisuke we're at. What the—Is there an earthquake?! What the hell is happening here?! I stumbled over my feet, but I managed to get back up again, running as fast as I could. Keisuke and Kuroko can take care of Kazari-chan, and Ruiko. Fukiyose will surely take care of Himegami, and I'm pretty sure Imouto can handle herself pretty well. The only one left is...Narushi. She hasn't been exposed to danger as much as we have, or so I think she doesn't. Who knows what she could be doing right now! She could be panicking or something!

"If something happens to them, I swear to God, I might just end up going crazy over it." I muttered, panting as I managed to turn the corner to where they were. As I expected, Kuroko was leading the girls away from the tree to a nearby clearing, she had to get them out of the forest after all. She was teleporting them as fast as she could, so I had to run up to her and help. And just my luck, one of the tree branches was starting to snap. "Kuroko! You take Fukiyose! I'll take care of Narushi!" I shouted as I sprinted up the hill. Those two were the only ones left.

"Kamijou! I—" Fukiyose was probably gonna protest, but good thing Kuroko knew better.

"Got it!" Kuroko answered, suddenly appearing in front of me and taking Fukiyose with her. "Please be careful! The branches are snapping!"

"Worry about yourself more, alright?!" I called after her as she nodded and disappeared again. I knelt down in front of Narushi who was sitting right next to the trunk of the tree, her back facing me. "Narushi, hey, come on. We have to get out of here." I said, shaking her, but she wouldn't budge.

"N-No...I..I..." She stuttered, before biting back a grunt. What the-? I immediately forced her to face me, my hands grabbing a tight hold on her shoulders.

"N-no way..." I muttered as I saw the look on Narushi's face. She was scared as hell, her eyes as wide as plates, her face pale. "N-narushi, are you okay? Are you hurt? Hey, come on!"

"L-loud..." She mumbled as she leaned her head on my shoulders. "E-Everything...i-it's too loud... Make it stop Touma! Make it stop!"

"Narushi, we have to get out of here okay?!" I grabbed her right hand and brought her up, but her legs just gave out and she slumped right back on the ground again. "Narushi! Come on already!"

"MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" She screamed repeatedly, the earthquake getting stronger and stronger with her every shout. What the—"JUST MAKE IT STOP OKAY?! I'M NOT HER! I'M NOT MISAKA MIKOTO! SO MAKE IT STOP ALREADY! I'M NOT HER!"

"What are you saying?!" I grabbed her left hand and held it as tight as I could. "I know that you aren't her! I know that already! So please, just calm down okay?!" I gripped her hand tighter, until I felt her ring pinching through my flesh. I could've sworn I heard something breaking, just until Narushi dived right into my lap, as the tremors stilled, until they finally came to a stop. She was trembling, but I don't know why. "Narushi, are you cold?"

"I...I'm fine." She said after taking a breath. Narushi tried to sit up straight and look up at me. "I'm just—AH! TOUMA! WATCH OOOOUUUUT!" She suddenly screamed, jumping on me again, making both of us roll down the slope. I heard a loud crashing sound as we rolled safely through the meadow. I sat up and saw that the branch that was snapping earlier finally broke, and boy was it huge.

"Are you alright?" Narushi asked as she sat up as well. "Are you hu—argh!" She winced in pain, her body nearly falling to the ground, if only I hadn't caught her. I laid her down on the grass, noticing how she held her left elbow.

"I should be the one asking you that question!" I said, slowly peeling her hand off her elbow, revealing a dark, purplish-red, swollen looking lump on it. "You must've sprained your elbow pretty bad for it to get this swollen in such a short time! Does your head hurt or anything? Do you feel pain anywhere else?"

"N-No...I'm fine now." She said with a smile, though I can clearly see the pain on her etched on her features. The same way Mikoto—no, I can't think of that now! The girl in front of me got injured while saving me and here I am thinking of someone else?! Wait...since when did I think of Mikoto as someone els—"You're okay though, right, Touma?" Narushi asked, looking worried for a bit. I smiled back at her, before brushing her hair off her face.

"I'm fine. And I have you to thank for it." Her face brightened up at my words, I couldn't help but smile genuinely at her. "Thanks, Narushi."

"You're welco—"

"AWASE-CHAN!" Fukiyose shouted. I looked behind me, and from afar, I could see all of them, in great condition, running back to us. "Awase-chan! Are you alright?!" Fukiyose asked as she finally reached us, her knees giving out as she knelt next to me, grabbing Narushi's left arm.

"AGH!" She grunted, her arm falling limp to her side. "I-I'm sorry, Seiri-san, but I can't hold your hand right now." She said, smiling, despite the beads of sweat forming on her face, and the tears that threatened to fall from her face. We heard a couple of rumbling footsteps, and before we knew it, everyone else was circling around us, around Narushi, asking her simultaneous questions, but she just smiled through it all.

"I'm so sorry..." Fukiyose muttered in a low voice. Low enough that only could hear her say it. "If I hadn't left Awase-chan, if only Shirai-chan had taken her instead of me...then..."

"It was my fault, not yours, Fukiyose." I replied, making her look at me. "I said that I would take care of Narushi, that's why Kuroko took you instead. I was the one who failed to protect her. You don't have to blame yourself for any of this. "

"But I—"

"Touma-senpai." Kuroko suddenly said, appearing behind us. She knelt down so we could be at eye level before speaking. "I've already called the Judgment Office. I asked for paramedics to take both you and Narushi-san to a hospital. They should be here in a few minutes, about 5 or so."

"Thanks for all your hard work, Kuroko. But I honestly don't see the point in bringing me to a hospital as well. I'm perfectly fine, as you can see." I said, rotating my shoulders blades to prove my point. Kuroko just sighed before she stood up and placed a hand on her waist.

"I _can_ see." She said exasperatedly. "That's exactly why I'm asking you to go as well. I'm not sure how you can even function properly, or say the words you're saying now, despite that big gash on the side of your head."

"Big gash?" I asked, before raising my hand to the side of my head and touching it. Ugh. It felt gooey and sticky, and now that I think about it, I do feel a bit dizzy..and...and why does it smell like rust in here? I looked at my hands and saw the blood on it, and the pieces finally clicked together. "Aw, damn. So that's why she kept on asking me if I was alright."

Such Misfortune...

* * *

"I must say, Kamijou-kun." Heaven Canceller said as he jotted down notes on his clipboard. "I honestly didn't expect to see you in here again. More so it's already past 12 midnight. Just a few minutes after your birthday today."

"Neither did I, old man. Neither did I..." I muttered, leaning my head back onto the fluffy white pillow. Here I am again. In my old room at the Academy City District Hospital. And to think I was never going in here again. Narushi was brought to a different room to be treated, but here I am, stuck in this stingy old room. Brings back memories. "So, what's in it for me now, Heaven Canceller?"

"Ah, well. You don't need to worry about...hm...let's see..." He said flipping through his clipboard. "Ah, here it is. Awase Narushi is being cared for and treated by Minako. Based from original findings, she just has a swollen elbow. The joints were a tad bit moved, but that's something that Minako can immediately handle. You on the other hand, are on a completely different level, as per usual. Since you're having dizzy episodes, we had to get you an MRI, to check if something went wrong when you hit your head. The results aren't out yet, but knowing you, you'll be fine."

"Aren't I always?" I remarked sarcastically. "So why'd you put me in this room again then? If there's nothing wrong, shouldn't I be released from the hospital?"

"Now, now, Kamijou-kun." He said handing his clipboard over to the nurse, who in turn gave him a folder, before she left the room. "What I said is merely a personal opinion, I won't decide on anything until I see actual proof. So until all your test results are out, you'll be kept in this room like a prisoner in his cell. I'm pretty sure a lot of memories can torment you, right in this very room."

"Are you going to sermon me about Narushi too, Heaven Canceller?" I asked with a sigh. "A lot of people have already, so no need to trouble yourself over something that seems so redundant to me."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that what I'll be saying right now is new to you, Kamijou-kun." He handed me the folder that his nurse had given him earlier. I opened it and found a bunch of X-rays and other lab results filled with crap I couldn't understand. One thing that did catch my attention was a picture of Narushi, stapled to her bio data. It was completely blank except her name. "Those results are a comparison of her's and Misaka-san's lab results from four years ago. Her body is like a better version of Misaka-san's conditional state."

"It must've been a coincidence, Heaven Canceller. Narushi doesn't even know Mikoto." I said, placing the papers on my lap. Great, another reminder of something that I already lost. "Is that all you're going to say?"

"It's rude to say that to an old man, don't you know?" He said, sitting down on the chair next to my bed. "But...Awase-san, was it? Who do you see when you look at her?"

"Seriously Heaven Canceller." I sighed, getting tired of this "Narushi is Narushi, okay? I met her yesterday, and sure she looks a lot like Mikoto, but I can prove that she isn't. Shouldn't these papers bbe enough for you to not think that?"

"Yes, I know that being irrational isn't really in my nature, Kamijou-kun, but I know Mikoto pretty well." He said seriously. Hey, I never knew he actually called Mikoto by name. I thought it was always just Misaka-san for him. "And I really can't help but feel this...connection with her."

"Connection?" I repeated.

"Yes, well, Misaka-san wasn't just my patient you know?" The old man said with a wistful smile, probably remembering how Mikoto was like. "She was like a daughter I never had; I even told her that before, when I was still handling her medical file. She was a bright one alright, but she was too selfless for her own good. She always thought about others first before herself. And whenever it came to you, she was all smiles and sunshine."

"Smiles and sunshine?" I scoffed. "You wouldn't say that if you found out about what I learned on my birthday."

"About the fact that she had your friend...Aogami-kun I think, make sure you celebrated your birthday every year?" He said. What the hell? Even Heaven Canceller knew?

"Seriously? How many more goddamn surprises will I get on my birthday?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well, I'd be offended if I didn't know about it, really." Heaven Canceller said with a shrug. "I'm by Mikoto's side whenever you weren't around her. So the things that you didn't know about must be somehow related to me. And besides, did you honestly think that Mikoto would just leave without making sure of some...insurance for you?"

"INSURANCE?" I repeated the word with vehemence. "She wanted some form of sh-tty insurance?! Remind me to give her a long stern lecture when she gets back, oh wait, she actually might NOT COME BACK! AT ALL!"

"What are you getting so worked up about, Kamijou-kun?"

"In the letter that Mikoto wrote for Aogami." I said, handing him the letter from my pocket. "She only asked Aogami for four years, and after that, she'd do something about it on her own. It just so happens that I met Narushi on that very same day that Aogami was supposed to stop. It's as if she planned on using Narushi to make me forget. Forget about her, about her promise, and about...just...everything... I mean...can you believe that? After all we've been through! After...after telling me that there's a chance she might be back, and after making me wait for another four years, with everyday feeling like hell, she just...dumps everything on me like this?" My voice trailed off as my memories of her came rushing back to my mind. Damn it. "I love her. For real. I haven't loved anyone else the way I did her. She was...special. I thought it was mutual too. I thought...I thought she actually...loved me back...someone like me."

Heaven Canceller was kept in silence as I held my head low, my vision blurring. He held the paper in his hands, looking at it, then staring at me, looking as empathetic as ever. He sighed before placing the paper on my bedside table and facing me with a smile.

"For four years." He began, making me look up at him. "You haven't cried Mikoto's name out like that for four years, now have you, Kamijou-kun?"

"What're you—"

"You've always tried to keep a brave front in front of everyone else, much like Misaka-san." He said, pointing to the picture of Mikoto stapled onto her files. "The only time I ever saw you actually cry was on that very same day that she left. When you stood out there in the rain, with everyone surrounding you. That was probably the only time you ever showed weakness to them. The only time you allowed yourself to be weak."

"That's not—"

"Do you know what Mikoto and I talked about whenever you were asleep or weren't here, Kamijou-kun?" Heaven Canceller asked as he took the papers from me and took out Mikoto's picture. "She would always say how much she wanted to spend your birthday with you, since you always complained about how unlucky you were. She said that you once told her that she made you feel like the luckiest man alive, so even if it's just for a day, on your birthday, she wanted to be with you 24/7 and make sure that only good things happen to you. If she had to blackmail a few people to do so, the she'd do it. She wanted to make you the happiest and luckiest person alive. But since she couldn't do that, she had to settle for making the others feel the same way she did. That's why she asked Aogami-kun, the most unusual person to ask, that favour."

"Hah? But in the letter—"

"Did you expect Misaka-san, of all people, to be honest in a letter to a guy she's not even that close to?" Touche, Heaven Canceller. "Well, what she said in this letter is part of the truth. But another main reason as to why she chose him was to make you realize that even a bum like Aogami-kun would be willing to go so far for you. She wants you to appreciate your self-worth."

"B-but...why would she do—"

"For the love of all that is good and just in this city, Kamijou-kun." He said exasperatedly as he placed Mikoto's picture right in front of my eyes, making me notice every single detail of her face and smile that I hadn't seen on so long. "It was because she loved you with all her heart, Kamijou-kun. This girl, this beautiful, kind, loving, generous, quirky, fun, and wonderful girl loves you with everything she has. She'd be willing to stake her like for anything, if it involved you. She valued your happiness, even as she was slowly dying herself. And yet here you are, doubting the love that she had earnestly given to you as a whole?"

I stared at the picture that Heaven Canceller had placed in front of me. The person in the picture haunted me, like having that same recurring nightmare every night but not wanting it to stop kind of haunting. The way her hazel hair seemed to flow out endlessly, and even back to the times when it was still short, I still loved it. Basically put, I don't care if she kept it long or short, I'd like it either way, anyway. The way her hazel eyes twinkled when she smiled and laughed, or how her brow would crease when she'd frown or pout at me. The way her lips curved when she smirked or when she says my name.

"Mikoto..." I mumbled, not really knowing why. Heaven Canceller stood up and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'll leave you to yourself now, Kamijou-kun." He said as he walked to the door. "But just as a last minute reminder, when you look at someone, remember to keep your eyes open okay? Because the one you're seeing and the one in front of you might not be the same after all." And so the door closed.

Looking at this picture right now, staring at it, made me remember something. I love Misaka Mikoto because she is Misaka Mikoto. Not for her fame, not for her title, not for her prestige, and not for her money. I love her (present tense) because she was herself. Because she was that hyperactive, spirited, cheerful and vibrant girl that bore the pain of having 20,000 sisters, alongside it's 10,000 deaths. The girl that would always kick the vending machine that stole her 10 000 yen bill during her first year. The girl that—

"Touma?" _The girl that I promised to marry when she returns._"You're awake right? I'm coming in."

Narushi, who now wore clean clothes consisting of a plain white shirt and denim shorts, walked into my room. Her left arm was in a sling, while she had a few bandages on her legs. She tried to smile at me as she stood at the foot of my bed, her feet fidgeting in place.

"Uhm...my arm has to be in a sling for a week, at most. Doctor Minako already healed up my wounds, and she said I was free to go. It looks like I won't be spending the night here." She said nervously. "I also heard that you'd be kept in here for some time, seeing as they needed to run a few more test. I hope they'll turn out fine, don't you?"

_This girl is not the girl I promised. This girl is not the girl that I love. This girl is not Misaka Mikoto._

"Goddamnit." I said, placing my hand on my forehead. Narushi came rushing to my side, a worried expression plastered on her face.

"Touma?!" She asked as she held my right hand. "Does anything hurt? Are you alright?"

"Awase Narushi." I said, making her stop. She let go of my hand and took a step back. "Awase...Narushi. That's your name right? It's your real name."

"H-Huh?" She stuttered nervously. "O-of course it is. Why are you—"

"Awase Narushi." I repeated again, my head falling back onto my pillow. "Your name is Awase Narushi. Of course I knew that. I knew it all along. You told me right from the very beginning that your name was Awase Narushi."

"I—I did...Touma? What's going on—"

"Back when the ground was shaking," I said, sitting up and looking at her. She stiffened, but she still kept her gaze on me. "You were on the ground, looking unnaturally scared of something, other than the earthquake. You said something about not being Misaka Mikoto. What was that—"

"You said you saw me as Awase Narushi!" Narushi shouted, backing away from me. "You said that to my face! You can't take it back! You can't take back what you said Touma!" She said repeatedly, shaking her head, as if she was denying something.

"What're you—"

"I'm not Misaka Mikoto! I'm not Misaka Mikoto! My name is Awase Narushi! I'm not Misaka Mikoto! I'm—"

"WHAT DOES MIKOTO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS?!" I shouted, grabbing her right arm and pulling her closer. I made sure to keep my grip minimal, so as not to hurt her. "You told me that you didn't know Mikoto, but then you keep on saying how you're not her! Were you lying to me?!"

"I wasn't lying!" She answered back. "I...I wasn't lying to you...Touma. I wasn't."

"Then why do you keep saying that you're not Misaka Mikoto?" I asked, letting go of her hand. "For you to say that, you must have some kind of connection with her, right?" I asked again. "You know goddamn well how much I love her, the same way you know how much the two of you look alike! So please, please just tell me what it is between the two of you so I can finally put myself at ease!"

"I—I—" Narushi stuttered, her eyes watering up with her tears. " I don't—"

"Oh, wow." A voice suddenly said. Hold on, why does that voice sound so—"The sis-con told me about the situation, but to think it was to this extent is just..." I turned my head around, and—HOLY SH-T. The person who just rudely interrupted me smiled at me and greeted. "Well, it's been quite a while now, hasn't it, Kamijou-kun?"

"You've got to be kidding me..." I muttered out as Narushi continued to look back and forth at me and.. "Friedrich Claude?"

"Well, I'm glad you remember me, even after all these years, Kamijou-kun." Friedrich Claude said as he walked closer to me. He really hasn't changed much at all. He wore brown trousers with a white button up shirt and a trench coat. But...he does look a bit more...mature, I guess? "Seeing as you're so speechless, allow me to introduce myself to this young lady, then." He walked over to Narushi, kneeled on one foot and reached out his hand to her. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance then, young lady. My name is Friedrich Claude, an acquaintance of Kamijou-kun over here, and as well as his pedo-partner."

"P-pedo-partner?" Narushi repeated as she shook his hand. "A-ah, anyway, my name is Awase Narushi. The pleasure is all mine. But what does pedo-partner mean?"

"Ah, that's—"

"Don't you dare tell her any more of your cra—"

"This isn't what we came here for, Master Frie." No way. You've got to be kidding me. I looked behind Friedrich and saw a beautiful blonde girl who was wearing a black and white medieval dress. Her hair was in waves that cascaded down to the middle of her back. She smiled at me. "It's very nice to see you again, Master Kamijou. Though definitely not under these circumstances should I use the word "nice"."

"J-Josephine?"

"Master?" Narushi repeated looking at the three of us now."H-hey, Touma? You're not a member of some...weirdo cult now are you? I mean, making a girl younger than me call the two of you Master and all is kind of-"

"Whatever it is you're thinking, I can attest that it's not true, Narushi." I interrupted her, before she could say anything else. "Since Friedrich already introduced himself, this girl over here is Josephine. She's a good friend of mine from way back. They both know Mikoto so..."

"Ah, it's okay. You don't have to say anymore than that." Narushi said, looking back at me as she tried to smile. "I understand."

"Well, seeing as you already understand the situation," Josephine suddenly said, stepping forward closer to Narushi. Friedrich had already stood up and walked back, letting Josephine be face to face with Narushi. "Please allow me to be frank about things, Miss Awase. I don't think you're telling us the truth to anything."

"Josephine, what're you—" I tried to say, but Friedrich held his arm out to me, signalling me to stop whatever I was saying.

"I'm...I'm not lying or anything!" Narushi defended herself as she took a step back away from Josephine. "I...I don't know—"

"In that case, let me ask you again. Before you met Master Kamijou, you already knew of Mistress Mikoto's existence, didn't you? You already know who and what exactly she was." Josephine said, driving Narushi into the chair, making her sit. "You know that she was gone, you know that somehow, Master Kamijou was connected to her."

"I didn't really..."

"Stuttering and indecisiveness is a sign of lying, is it not?" Josephine said, hands to her waist. "We won't fault you for anything that you may have said up to this point. You don't really know us very well, but if there is something that you should know, it's that we don't tolerate lies or half baked truths. So I suggest you get on with what you really know."

"I told you!" Narushi whined, gripping the shirt she wore. Her tears falling onto the cloth."I really didn't do—"

"And I've also been telling you that—"

"JUST STOP IT JOSEPHINE!" I couldn't take much more of this. Seeing Narushi get driven into a corner and cry like this is just so... "If Narushi said she doesn't know anything, the she doesn't, alright? I may not have known her for too long, but I know that much about her!"

"And that's where your fault resides in, Master Kamijou."Josephine said, breathing out as she turned to face me. "Not to be demeaning or anything, but you totally fail in the department of trusting people, don't you? I mean, just look at the people surrounding you. High level espers, magicians, members of the dark side, magic gods, and should I go on with this list?"

"Alright, fine. You made your point, but still! Why'd you have to act that way? Where's the nice Josephine huh?" I asked. Friedrich just laughed and walked over to Josephine, slinging his arm over her shoulder.

"Have you forgotten, Kamijou-kun?" He asked. "Me and Em are magic inquisitors now. We told you in one of our phone calls, didn't we? It's our job to check for any magical happenings and report them back to HQ. Em has learned to be a bit of a sadist though. Since we are required to get information out of people, without having to resort to physical torture, so mental torture it is!"

"I only do it because you always end up flirting with women if we investigate!" Josephine whined, pushing him away as she blushed. "It's not like I want to be like this, Master Kamijou! I only have to be when the situation calls for it!"

"And how exactly does this situation call for anything?" I asked, sitting up and facing Narushi who was still spaced out. "Hey, you okay?"

"I...fine...I guess. I'm fine..." She breathed, wiping away her tears. "B-but anyway, I thought her name was Josephine, why does he call her Em?"

"Ah, very good question, Miss Awase!" Friedrich answered happily as he grabbed Josephine by her waist and hugged her, making the girl blush like crazy. "We may not look like it, but Em here is the one and only love of my life! She calls me Master out of habit, but please don't think too badly of it."

"M-master!" Josephine shrieked as she let herself be hugged by him.

"Guys, do you honestly intend to flirt right in front of our eyes when you see two injured people who are not only physically messed up, but mentally as well?" I said, making the two of them blush and turn away from each other. Friedrich managed to laugh it off, but Josephine just sighed as she fake coughed before facing us.

"Anyway," she said as she regained her composure. "I'm really sorry you had to undergo that on our first meeting, Miss Awase. " she apologized as she took a little bow. "You seemed a bit weak under pressure, so I had to do it right as we met. I didn't mean to scare you or offend you or any of that sort, so I'd really like to apologize for my behaviour."

"Ah, n-no... that's okay." Narushi said as she waved her hands in front of her, "If it's part of your line of work, then it can't be helped that you get like that sometimes, so it's okay. I understand you completely.."

"Thank goodness." Josephine said as she took a breath of relief. "It's a good thing that Mistress Mikoto's open mindedness was embedded into you. It would've been nearly impossible for anyone else to—"

"What did you just say?" I asked, cutting her off. Rudeness and manners be damned, did I just hear her right? "What did you say again?" Josephine looked at me before relaxing herself.

"I think it would be better if we start off from Miss Awase's point of view." She said turning to face her. "That's if she actually wants to reveal to us the actual truth this time." I faced Narushi as well, and I saw the flicker of emotion in her eyes. She was...worried for some reason.

"Did you really lie to me about it, Narushi?" I asked. She stiffened for a bit, so I held out my hand and patted her head. "It's as they say, Narushi. We won't fault you for anything that you've already said. I won't get mad, and I won't shout at you, either. All I need to know from you right now is the truth, okay?" Narushi just looked down at her thighs, her hands trembling on top of them.

"Miss Awase, it's been a long night for all of you, hasn't it?" Friedrich suddenly said. "With all the conspiracies revolving you guys and the Little Miss Railgun, it must be tiring. So please, just do everyone a favour and tell us what you really know."

"I'll ask this again, Miss Awase." Josephine said, straightening up. "Did you or did you not know Mistress Mikoto before you met Master Kamijou?"

"I...I..." Narushi stuttered as she regulated her breathing. She took a deep breath, before she spoke once more, her voice trembling. "I..I did." I felt the world spinning around me, making me feel dizzy and nauseous. I fell back onto my bed as I stared at Narushi who nervously played with her fingers as she spoke. "It was...in a dream. I met Misaka Mikoto in a dream that I had before."

"Was it a recurring dream? Or was it a one-time thing?" Friedrich asked.

"Recurring." Narushi answered. "Every night for the past week or so, I've been dreaming about a girl who looked exactly like me. She just stands in front of me and smiles at me, saying "Be happy" over and over again like a mantra. After that, she reaches out her hand and gives something to me. Before she gives it, she asks me to promise her that I'll take care of the ring and the ties that came along with it. I don't actually understand it, but I just go along with the flow of things. And that's when I wake up."

"Wait." I said, making all of them look at me. "If...If what you say is true, then...what did Mikoto give to you? What did she want you to take care of?"

"That's..." Narushi, held her hand tightly as she forced the words out of her mouth. "The...the ring."

"I think that's enough for tonight." Friedrich said as he walked over to me. "You need to go to sleep, Kamijou-kun."

"No." I said, looking straight at Narushi, Josephine walked over to her and placed an arm around her, comforting her. "Tell me that I heard that wrong! Tell me that I didn't hear you say that Mikoto gave our engagement ring to you! Tell me that it's all—"

"I said that's enough, Kamijou-kun!" I felt something strike at my neck and before I knew it, I was slowly losing consciousness. As my vision got blurry, I could make out the figures of Josephine and Narushi walking out of my room, with Narushi staring at me as she walked. Friedrich put me to bed and walked away with them.

_**No. Don't leave me here, damn it! I need some answers! Why did Mikoto give away the ring? Why to Narushi of all people? Why did...why am I...**_

As the door closed, so did my consciousness. I blacked out, right in the middle of my night of confusion. Such misfortune indeed.

-chapter end-

**Sorry if this took so long! A lot of things sprang up on me, so I couldn't finish it right away, SORRY! But hey! Atleast I still updated right? Fifi and Frie-kun are back again! They have got to be one my most favourite imaginary OC pairings. They're adorable right?!Or maybe I'm just raising my own chair? Hahaha. Well, I just started reading Ao Haru Ride. Anyone else reading it? I started it at 11 in the evening and finished it at around 3 in the morning. HA. And I actually had exams then! Good thing the exam got postponed due to unpredictable reasons. Seriously guys! Ao Haru Ride is one of the major feels trippers of all time. (Alongside Guilty Crown, Clannad, Little Busters Refrain and a whole lot more. )**

**Just a little random tip: when you get into college, find people who are also addicted to anime like you are! It totally helps in making you feel like you're not the weirdest person in the world! Hahahaha.**

**Next chapter: Things FINALLY get to pick up some pace. With the return of one of the Sven Pillars of the Gate of Heaven (why did I make that so long?) can we expect more angelic things to come? DON'T ASK ME EITHER! Just kidding XD.**

**Well, that's it for now! Ja neeee~! Leave a review for any comments, suggestions or stuff okay?**


	5. With You

Chapter 5 – With You

"...ey Touma?...Hey..."

Huh? Who's voice is that? It sounds so...familiar. Am I...Am I having a dream?

"Hey, Touma?" That voice. I cant seem to pinpoint who it is, but I know that it's someone important! Her—"DAMN IT YOU MORON! HURRY IT UP AND WAKE UP!" And then I felt a spark.

"What the-?" I muttered, opening one of my eyes to look at the owner of the voice. I really couldn't make our much of the image before me, since I was still bleary from my sleep. But when I saw something hazel coloured cover my face, the familiar scent of lavender filled my nostrils, my mind suddenly went on overdrive. I'd recognize that scent anywhere. "M-Mikoto?"I asked, rolling my body so that I'd be lying on my back. No way. This can't be...this can't be real, right? Is this some kind of joke?

"Hmm?" A woman sat down beside me, wearing a decent-enough white night gown (though still highly enticing, for the lack of a better term) and bent over to kiss me on the cheek. "Good morning to you too, sleepy head. Sorry I had to wake you up that way, but you weren't budging at all. You must've been having a hell of a dream."

"Y...Y-youre...Mikoto...right?" I asked, not believing what I was seeing right now.

"Hah?" She said, flicking my forehead. "Of course I'm Mikoto, you idiot. Have you already forgotten the name of the woman you just married? Talk about pathetic, Kamijou Touma." She pouted, crossing her arms over my chest and placing her chin on top of them. "What's with you today? Are you feeling alright? Usually, you'd wake up earlier than I do and make breakfast for us. I made pancakes and bacon, by the way. Do you want coffee or juice?" Mikoto smiled at me as she asked that question. I stared at her face for a few seconds, making her blink and tilt her head to the side. "Is something wrong To- ?"

"What the hell is going on here?" I muttered, looking at her confusedly. "Is this some kind of joke or what?"

"What the hell are _you_ saying, you idiot?" She answered with a frown, lifting her arms back and slamming them on my chest. Ooof. "Have you lost your mind or what? Just tell me if you want to have divorce papers filed and signed Kamijou Touma. I'd gladly return to being Misaka Mikoto, if you'll just keep on freaking out on me like this every morning."

"Divorce? What are you—"

"We've been married for a week now, you dope." Mikoto said, standing up, placing her hands on her waist. "Seriously. You've been acting as if you can't believe that we're married and all every morning, but today is the weirdest of it all. I mean, yeah, it does seem sweet, but do you seriously have to act like you think this is some kind of joke? Do you regret marrying me or something?"

What the hell is going on here? I'm _married _to Mikoto?! But...just yesterday, I met Narushi and my birthday and...huh? No...wait a minute.

"I can't believe this. " I muttered out with a small laugh, making Mikoto frown at me.

"Can't believe what exactly?" She asked demandingly. "Care to tell me what's so funny?"

"Well, it's just that, 8 years ago, I had a dream similar to something like this." I answered, placing a hand on my forehead as I laughed at my own idiocy. "I remember it. I dreamt about going on a date with you to an amusement park, when I was 16, so you were 14 back then. I think it was during the time we were preparing for Academy City's foundation week. Tsuchimikado had blacked mailed me into asking you out, and at that time, I knew I was already falling in love with you. We were having a great time, until you got pissed at me and ran away. I went searching for you in the rain, and when I did find you, we argued even more, and I ended up giving the cheesiest confession of all time. When everything settled down, we were about to kiss th—"

"You dreamt about kissing me when we were teenagers?" Mikoto asked incredulously. "You do realize that I am, well, was, two years younger than you. I kind of get it that all male specimens must have some kind of desires, but for you to have them at 16 for a 14-yeard old is just—"

"Hey! It was just a kiss okay?!" I defended myself. "And anyway, I didn't see how things turned out because I woke up! Which I'm pretty sure will happen to me now as well, as soon as things get good!"

"Get good meaning what exactly?" She said, walking closer to the bed.

"When have a mood going on or something!" I said, sort of feeling embarrassed by my own words. "I mean...I don't know! I never really think of it since it's never actually happened before so—" My sentence was cut off when I felt soft lips press against mine. OH HOLY SH-T. This is real. This is real. I'm _kissing Mikoto_. I—But she—Oh what the hell. I don't care if this is just a dream or an illusion! I'm going to make the most out of this!

I grabbed her by the waist, wrapping my arms around her as I pulled her back on the bed, so that she'd be lying on top of me. She gave off a little squeak when we both feel onto the mattress too fast, but she just kissed me like nothing really mattered to her anymore. Too soon, Mikoto had parted from the kiss, catching her breath as she stared at me with a smile, despite the blush apparent on her face.

"Is that enough of an assurance that this isn't a dream anymore?" She asked.

"More than enough. But..." I answered with a smile, as I pulled her back in and kissed her for the second time. I didn't wake up. "One more time." I asked again, and she just obliged. I really didn't wake up at all. "One more time." I asked of her again. This time she frowned at me, her brows making that cute little crease on her forehead.

"If you're gonna keep on asking me for—"

"Please." I begged. "Just one more." And she sighed before obliging. She closed her eyes and allowed me to kiss her as I pleased, well, not that she wasn't enjoying it herself. But I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't say that out loud. When our lips parted for, unfortunately, the last time, her face was really pink with embarrassment.

"You're such an idiot."

"Now that's something I don't mind hearing." I said with a smirk as I sat up and cuddled with her, embracing her tightly as I inhaled her scent. This is really Mikoto. I kissed her and I didn't wake up. I kissed her four times and I still didn't wake up. This is reality. Mikoto is alive. This is...this is...what is this?

"Alright, enough of the cuddling now, Touma." Mikoto said pushing me away a bit. She placed her hands on my shoulders as she looked at my face, that cute little blush still on her cheeks. "I told you already. I cooked breakfast. It's gonna get cold if we don't eat it soon."

"You? Cook breakfast?"

"HEY!" She said hitting my arm. "I may not be as good as you are, but I definitely know how to cook decent meals! You taught me how to make pancakes and waffles the other day, didn't you? This time, I added a bit of maple and chocolate syrup to the batter mix!"

Oh no.

"Ah...hehehe..I-is that so?" I asked nervously. Already fearing what the sickening taste of maple syrup and chocolate placed together in a single pancake might be. "W-well then, I guess we'd better get to it then!"

"Good!" Mikoto cheerfully hopped off of me, as she pulled me by the hand towards the bathroom. "Make sure you brush your teeth and wash your face first, alright? I'll meet you down at the kitchen then!" She said running off. Down to the kitchen? Does that mean we're living in a house with multiple floors? Who the hell paid for all this stuff huh? Wait, now that I mention it, everything here does seem kind of...expensive for a person of my stature. The bedroom and the bathroom both had a modern cozy feel to it, I mean, sorry for being vague, but I'm not really good with interior designing and stuff. Deciding to put the money matters aside, I grabbed my toothbrush and took out the toothpaste from the cabinet. As I was brushing my teeth, I looked around for my face towel.

"It's not on the hanger..." I muttered. "Ah, that's right. I had it washed. Mikoto must've placed it in the linen cabinet again." I walked over to one of the upper cabinets and opened one, finding a neatly folded blue face towel on top of the file. "There you are!" I walked back, and as I was finishing up, a thought suddenly came to my head.

"Why did I just know where everything was supposed to be?" Which toothbrush was mine, where the toothpaste was, where the face towels are and where Mikoto usually puts them. "Oh, well. I have greater things to think about." I dried up my face and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I still look like the 24 year old me. How old am I exactly right now? How old is Mikoto? How about everyone else?

'_Okay, I need to set things straight first..._' I thought to myself as I made my way out of the bathroom and into the bedroom to my cabinet to get a proper shirt, since I was wearing an old jersey shirt with at least presentable gray pyjamas. I grabbed a black V-neck shirt and wore it over my head. '_Mikoto and I are...__**married **__for a week now. So what does that make of Narushi and the others? When did Mikoto come back anyway? And how on earth were we married? Shouldn't she be like...going to school first or something?'_

"Ah, took you long enough!" Mikoto greeted cheerfully as she saw me walking towards her. "I was beginning to think that you'd drowned alive in that bathroom." She joked. Drowned? Okay, that sounds like a good, normal way to ask questions.

"The same way you drowned in my tub when you turned into a little girl?" I asked as I sat on the chair of the breakfast nook she was setting up.

"Oh come on!" She blushed as she set down a hefty plate of pancakes. "I was turned into what...like 5 years old or something? Cut me some slack will you?" She huffed, out of indignation. Okay, so she remembers. That means that the whole angel incident really happened.

"Speaking of kids, how're Kuroko and the other girls doing? I hope their Judgement work hasn't been keeping them from their academics." Now to find out how different things are in here.

"You just talked to them at the wedding didn't you?" She answered me with a raised eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure that if they said they were okay, then that means they can manage it for another week or so. But seriously, you don't have to worry about them; Kuroko and Kazari-san are..." She calls her Kazari-san now? "...pretty much reliable when it comes to their studies. Ruiko has Kazari-san tutoring her, so she'll be fine. I mean, both of them do take up the same course, with both wanting to be computer engineers and all." Well, that isn't far from what I know. Aside from Mikoto calling Ruiko by name now. Is it just me or did Mikoto just blink back and retraced her words?

"How about Kuroko? Things are going well with Keisuke, right?" I asked as Mikoto placed three pancakes on my plate, drizzling it with maple syrup, just the way I like it. "Thanks, Mikoto."

"Yeah, sure. No problem." She said with a smile as she sat down opposite of me and drowned her pancakes in syrup. "As for Kuroko and Kei-kun," _She calls him Kei-kun?_ "They're doing alright. I was e-mailing with Kuroko last night. She told me that since I was taken, there was no point in keeping **it**, if you know what I mean, to herself. She probably wants to get tied down to Kei-kun, but I told her to take her time. Law isn't an easy course to handle, with her being a Judgement Chief as well. And she's just in her 2nd year of college for goodness' sake! She's only 23 too, a lot of things can happen to them, but I sure do hope that Kei-kun is the one for her."

"And here I thought her perverseness had disappeared throughout the years of putting up with the fact that you and I were together."

"Well...Kuroko will always be Kuroko I guess." She shrugged. "And trust me, you wouldn't want to know even the gist of things that that girl has in that brain of hers. She'd be the goddess of porn movie ideas of anyone else knew about them. Thank God she still has sanity and common decency." There she goes again. Looking like she didn't just understand what she said.

"What about you?" I asked, making her look at me as she placed the pancake in her mouth. "I mean, all of your friends are all single and are in school. I mean, trust me, I want to be married to you, but don't you feel a bit...I don't know..jealous of their lifestyle? You'll be tied down to me for the rest of your life, you know?" I asked, my voice getting quieter. Mikoto took a second before a smile graced her face as she stood up. She walked over to me and held out her hand with our wedding ring on it.

"I do know." She said, taking my hands and making them hold onto hers. "I do know that for a fact, Touma. That's why I'm here in this house with you. That's why you wake up every morning with me right next to you. It's because I know that, and I choose to live with it." She said, her other hand caressing my cheek. "Besides, getting chased down by perverts, stalkers, and weirdoes gets tiresome and annoying. Getting married to you is the best way to get rid of all of them at once!"

"But how about school?" I asked again as I pulled her over to my lap and snuggled with her. I don't know why, I'm not usually this touchy with her but, I just feel like doing it. "Don't you want to experience University life? I won't stop you or anything. As long as you promise not to go to college parties, get drunk and get laid on my some b-st-rd who certainly has a death wish."

"As if I'd allow myself to do that, Touma!" She shouted with a red face. "I don't even drink beer or vodka or spirits. But I have drunk my won fair share of wine. And as for school, I've already gotten my PhD last year remember? Sure, I took an extremely advanced course and had it done in a few years, but that's enough of a university life for me. Since I finished early, it kinda makes the age difference between us shorter. I graduated a year after you, so it looks like you're only a year older!" Last year? What? I reached over the table and grabbed her plate of pancakes and set it next to mine so I could feed her. She was blushing, but she just smiled anyways.

"What's up with you today?" She asked as she munched on the piece of pancake that I put in her mouth. "You're always sweet and stuff, but you see a bit sappy today. Are there any more surprises I should be watching out for? " If anything Mikoto, I'm sure I'm the one that's gonna be surprised.

"Nothing really." I answered, trying to think of a reason to- AH! I got it. "Well, I had a dream last night. It really was a hell of a dream. Just like what you said." I asked, looking as pitiful as I could.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" She cooed gently. YES! Mikoto has always had a soft side whenever I'm like this.

"Well, do you remember the time when we fought Miliahelm?" I asked and she nodded, her mood darkening a bit. "The thought of him kissing you still sends my brain to space and I still feel like beating the sh-t out of him, but that isn't the point. I dreamt that...well, we were still able to get out of that problem, but after that, you were really sick. I don't know if you'd call it a sickness but you were coughing out blood and all those bad omens. Then one night, you just disappeared out of nowhere and never came back."

"It's pretty much the same from what really happened, only difference is, I never left or disappeared." She said hugging me as she stroked my head. I pushed her off me at arm's length, my hands on her shoulders.

"What?"

"Really, you're so weird today Touma!" Mikoto shrugged my hands off her shoulders. "I didn't disappear, okay? Yes, I did get hospitalized and I got really sick and stuff, but I managed to live through it all! Look at me now. I'm alive and well, aren't I? Why are you so worried about a dream? Usually you'd be like 'I don't care about that damn dream! I'll break that illusion!' or something like that."

"Oi. Don't make me sound like some kind of superhero in shounen mangas okay?" I said and she just smiled at me. "What're you smiling about now huh?"

"I don't really know how to say this...but, I'm just...happy, I guess." Mikoto answered, twisting our wedding ring on her finger. Damn. We really are married. "When you woke up this morning, you kept on looking at me as if you couldn't believe that I was there. It was the same when I was in the hospital 5 years ago. Sure, being kept in a hospital for an entire year sucks and it must've worried you a lot, but it's okay. I know you tried really hard not to show me that weaker side of you, but you did, Touma." She said, facing me and rubbing the top of my head. "Everything is over now. I won't get turned into an angel, and I won't leave you anymore. My life—our lives aren't in danger, Touma. You can stop worrying about that now. You've been having that frown on your face all morning. I'm just glad it's finally gone."

Okay, I know I should be emotionally moved by what she said just now, but my mind was still focusing on the facts that this...reality was presenting to me. So, the only difference in the course of things is that Mikoto didn't disappear, she's 24 now..right? So that means, I'm 26, right? I need to know if an Awase Narushi really exists. Is this really a reality? Or is it just an illusion? But who created it? Who would put me in something like th—

"Touma?" Mikoto asked, holding my face and turning my face to hers. "Are you alright? You look like you were thinking about something really serious. Is something wrong?" She asked worriedly. Crap, I can't let her find out too much about this.

"No, I'm fine. I was just wondering what kind of expression I had on during those times. I don't really know how I looked like, but I must've been one hell of an eyesore for a sick person who was on her way to recovery."

"Oh, don't say that!" She said hitting my shoulder lightly. "But, in all honesty, you really aren't that handsome. You didn't fit the criteria that I had unwillingly set in my mind due to reading too much romance novels and manga. You're definitely not the bad boy type kind of guy, you're not intoxicatingly cool either, nor are you the good guy type. I don't know what else to call you but an Idiot."

"Hey, if I remember correctly, you're supposed to be comforting me right?" I asked, silently flinching at every word she said. "How can saying those words—"

"You didn't fit the criteria in my mind, at all." She interrupted, giving me a small glare. "But you were the one who stole my heart, messed up my brain and turned my life upside down. The criteria be damned. My mind doesn't know what love is. Only my heart does, and you taught me that." She said, smiling with a blush on her face. "It's as I said, I don't know what else to call you but Idiot, because you're _my _idiot."

Damn it. Is it really alright for a girl to say such things to a guy? Is it really normal for my heart to beat as erratically as it does now? I must look like a total idiot right now, smiling and blushing like a total lunatic.

"Thanks, Mikoto." I said, pulling her in for a quick kiss on the lips. When we parted, I'm pretty sure I was smiling broadly at her, but she looked like...she saw a ghost or something. "Mikoto? You okay?"

"F-fine..." She answered, standing up and leaning on the breakfast counter as she held her head. "Just...fine, really."

"Does your head hurt or something?" I asked standing up as well and walking over to one of the cupboards, which by now, I'm pretty sure has—Ah. There. A medicine box. I placed the box on the counter and rummaged through it. "Do you need pain killers or ice or something?"

"I'm fine, Touma. Really." She said, hugging me from behind, her face buried in the back of my shirt. "I just...had a really weird feeling of...I don't know, like déjà vu or something. I've been having it all morning, ever since I woke up." I turned around, still in her embrace as I faced her and held her cheeks.

"You are about that? You seemed kind of freaked out." I asked again. She just smiled and hugged me, so I hugged her back, lowering my head so I could smell her hair. "God, I missed you."I accidentally muttered out. Oh crap. I forgot that we've been married for a week now! How am I supposed to miss her when we—

"I know. I missed you too..." She answered back, tightening her grip on me. What the-? She said it back? Shouldn't she be wondering why—

"Mikoto?" I asked, hugging her tighter as I felt something seep into my first. "Why are you crying?" I ran my hand up and down her head, in an effort to calm her down as she shook her head, wiping her tears on my shirt.

"I...I don't know either. I just...felt like...like I haven't seen you in so long, but we've always been together, haven't we? It makes no sense at all. I'm getting really weird, aren't I?" She said, a small ounce on humour in her tone as she broke away from the hug and dried her own tears. "I've been really emotional lately, haven't I?"

"It's not like I mind." I said patting her head, as she looked up to me. "I'm glad you're being more open to your emotions like this. Though it would be troublesome if you just suddenly cry like that in front of others, but if it's just the two of us, then I don't mind. I'll be the one to wipe away your tears when they fall."

"Seriously." Mikoto laughed as her tears had gradually come to a stop. "What's wrong with the both of us today? We're both acting too sweet and emotional. It's really weird."

"You're not pregnant are you?" Time seemed to stop, as Mikoto stared at me with wide eyes and a horrified look on her face. I know. Stupid thing to say, right? But hey! In my defence! My mind is already pre occupied with thinking about the situation I'm in! I don't have enough brain cells to think of a good comeback anymore! "H-hey, no need to look so horrified. I mean, we've only been married for a week, right? It's impossible that—I mean, even if we did do _**it**_, you couldn't possibly be—"

"Well, did we?" Mikoto asked, seemingly in thought. Whaaat?

"Did we...what?"

"Did we do it?" Mikoto repeated again, looking serious, but the red hue on her cheeks betrayed her cool composure. "I mean, did we...you know? C-consummate o-our m-marital rights...and...well..."

"Only you'd call sex 'the consummation of marital rights' nowadays, Mikoto. Seriously."

"UGH! I don't care! Did we or didn't we?! Just answer my question, damn it!" she shouted, her face turning into a new shade of red.

"Of course we...huh?" Wait, what? "So, you were basically just asking me if we had sex or not, right?"

"Yes, I was!" She answered, hiding her face behind her palms. "Just answer my question already! Did we or didn't we?! Which is it?!"

How come she doesn't know? There's no point in asking me, since I definitely have no idea either but—WAIT. DID I REALLY JUST HAVE SEX WITH HER?! GOD, KAMIJOU TOUMA! Get your mind out of the gutter will you?! You are in an extremely precarious situation and here you are thinking about whether or not you had actual sex with the love of your life who happens to be married to you right now! Don't you dare get any green ideas! Don't you dare!

"Don't tell me...you don't know either?" Mikoto suddenly asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Th-that's-!" God. I don't know why but this is turning out to be extremely embarrassing. "W-why are you even asking me that?! You're the girl here! Don't you...I don't know...but shouldn't you know if you're still a virgin or not? Like there's something in between your—"

"GAAAAAAH!" She screeched, crouching down and covering her ears. "Stop it! Don't say it! No more! no more okay?! I don't want to hear it!"

"If this is embarrassing for you, it's more embarrassing for me! I mean, I'm the guy but I don't know if we really did do it or not!" Can someone please just put a stapler over my mouth or something? Mikoto looked up at me before she stood up and faced me.

"You don't...know?" she asked, her voice trailing off. Damn it. What am I supposed to say in this situation? "You don't know either Touma? Answer me."

"Look Mikoto, I—"

"Do you even remember our wedding day?" She asked, crossing her arms. "What I was wearing, who were there, what you were wearing, where it happened and all that stuff. Do you remember? Because in all honesty, I can't."

"I'm sorry I don't remember bu—WHAT?" I asked, her final words registering in my mind. "You can't—but earlier, you just said something about the wedding, about Kuroko and the other girls, and—"

"Would you believe it if I said that I didn't know either? I mean, there are facts stated in my head, and when I try to think about it, blurry images come to my mind, but I don't have any solid memories of it." She sat down on one of the stools and began to think. "Something is really wrong here. Why is it that I feel like...this isn't real? It's been like this since I woke up, but I didn't pay attention to it. How about you, Touma?"

"I was surprised- really surprised- when you told me we were married!" I said, trying to make sense of things. "I don't remember this house, or what happened this past week. But for some reason, I know where things like the towels and medicine box are. It's like I've lived here for some time, but I don't remember any of it."

"So...putting things straight, we somehow have remnants of memories about living together like this, but we both don't remember them. That doesn't make any sense at all." She pondered, taking a pancake and stuffing it in her mouth. Should I tell her about the fact that I think this is all an illusion? That from what I know, she disappeared four years ago, and that I should be 24, not 26? But...seeing her like this, eating pancakes with her hair still a ruffled mess, munching down angrily as she thought something over...it's priceless. Waking up to her next to me, never having to worry about being all alone anymore.

That's it. I've decided to live in this lie, even for just a while longer. When this day is over, I'll tell her about it. Then we can focus on the situation.

"Hey," I said, placing my hand on her head. "No need to get so worked up. How about we go outside and have some fun? We can clear our heads and then we'll think about it, okay?"

"Do you even know where we are, Touma?" She asked incredulously as she gave me a look. Well, that's—

"Now that you mention it...I don't really know. But thinking about it, we can probably find out more if we explore the premises right? Who knows? Maybe we can figure this thing out or something."

"Hmm...I guess that makes sense. Well, the only thing that makes sense now, that is." She said with a sigh. "Alright then. Let's go. I'll just clean up the plates here and you go on and get ready so—"

"I'll do the dishes. _You_ go and do...girly things." I said pushing her towards the stairs. "Girls take much more time picking out clothes and stuff. I can just grab anything from the closet and put it on."

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking over her shoulder as she took the first step up. "I mean, shouldn't the wife be doing household chores like washing the dishes and stuff?"

_**Wife**_

Mikoto called herself wife. In this...I don't really know what to call this, but at the moment she's my wife. She's mine and she's right beside me. I stepped on the first step with her, wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her on the lips.

"Well, dear _wifey_ of mine," The word "wifey" made her blush. Adorable. "You deserve a break every once in a while, right? Besides, you did breakfast. It's only right that I do the dishes." I gave her one last peck on the cheek before stepping down and walking away. "See ya in a bit, BiriBiri!"

"I have a name you know!" she shouted after me, running up the stairs. When she reached the top step of the first flight of the stairs, she turned back and faced me, her face red, but a playful smile on her face. "My name is Kamijou Mikoto, you idiot! You better remember that!" and then she was gone.

Kamijou Mikoto huh? Oh, I'll remember that. For sure.

* * *

"Seriously..." I muttered as I lounged around on the sofa in the living room. It'd been what? Like an hour since I let Mikoto go upstairs and she still isn't done. I've done the dishes and dressed up, but she hasn't even picked an outfit yet. Girls. "HEEEY! MIKOTOOOO!" I called out for the millionth time. "How much longer are you going to take? Can we even leave by the end of the day?"

"BE QUIET YOU!" She shouted, her voice not sounding too far away. "Geez, why are men so impatient huh?"

"Why do girls take too long in dre—" And I was left speechless. I've always known that Mikoto was beautiful, but seeing her the way she is now makes me look back on my life and think about what I had missed out on. She was wearing a rose colored dress that was fitted on her chest, but flowed out loosely from there up until mid-thigh. She had a greyish white elbow length cardigan over it as her hair was tied into a side braid that hung loosely on her right shoulder. She walked down the steps, her white, low-heeled strappy sandals, clanking against the hardwood of the steps.

"Well?" She asked, with a little blush as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "Does it look weird or something?" Mikoto did a bit of a twirl as she stood at the foot of the steps. "I don't know if it seems...appropriate for a newly wed woman to wear...but...I just thought that...well...maybe I thought I'd look cute in it...and that...maybe you'd like it on me or something..." She mumbled the last part lowly to herself, probably hoping that I wouldn't hear her. Well too bad, because I did. I walked over to her and stood directly in front of her. She looked up at me with those hazel eyes of hers that I couldn't get enough of, and my mouth had unwillingly curved into a smile.

"To me, anything you wear looks amazing on you, Mikoto." I said, tucking in a lose strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm really glad that you went through all the effort to look for something that I'd like, but seriously, seeing you confident and comfortable is all that I need. If wearing something like that makes you conscious, then don't. But seriously. You look amazing, Mikoto. Amazing isn't enough of a word to describe how I see you right now."

"And you said you didn't know how to deal with women." Mikoto said with a small blush before stepping forward and hugging me. "I actually like this dress a lot. Sure it's not something I'd usually wear, but I really do like it. Knowing that you like it too is a bonus!"

What the—Has Mikoto always been like this? This...cutesy...girly...person? My memory may just be playing tricks on me...but I kind of remember her as a tsundere. Is that weird?

"Is something wrong, Touma?" She suddenly said, looking up at me, her head titled to the side. "You've become quiet all of a sudden."

"N-no, it's nothing really. Let's go?" I asked, walking away from the hug and towards the door. Seriously, what is up with me today? I felt Mikoto's presence behind me as I opened the door and stepped outside. "What the—Where is this?" I asked as I took a look at our surroundings. It's...like a village that's lined up with expensive houses.

"If I remember correctly, Academy City had some plans on expanding. They consulted Papa for the major plans of it long ago. I guess it was implemented a few years back." She said, looking around for a bit. "I think it's an extension of District 27 or something. I'm not really sure though. From what I can be sure of, they wanted to build a place for the elites, if you know what I mean. A plot around here costs about a billion yen or something."

"Then how come I'm here?! I mean, I can understand why you're here but—"

"We got married remember?" Mikoto reminded me, placing a hand on her hip. "Seriously. You always forget that fact! And besides, if I had to guess, this was probably given to us by Papa. He was a consultant here, so maybe they gave the lot of the house as part of the payment."

"Knowing that I was able to live in such a grand house because of my wife's father really doesn't do anything to boost my ego, Mikoto." I said in a sigh as we continued to walk down the cobble stoned pathway towards the gate and exited. "I'm the guy here, aren't I? I should be the one providing stuff."

"Don't tell me you're getting bogged down by financial issues again? Seriously. We've already had too much of these arguments in the past Touma." Mikoto went through the gate as I closed it for her. When I looked back, she was facing me, hands crossed over her chest. "Money is a material matter that shouldn't even matter!"

"Yeah, sure. And I'm even hearing this crap about money not mattering from an ojou-sama." I said, rolling my eyes. When she didn't reply, I turned my face to look at her, and saw how pissed she was at me. What did I do now?

"So...what do you mean by that exactly?" She spat out icily. "Are you telling me I'm some kind of spoiled ojou-sama who can't do anything without her money? That I'm the kind of rich person who loves to rub it into other people's faces? Is that it Touma?"

"What the hell's wrong with you?" WHAT THE—"Why are you getting so worked up about such a small issue Mikoto?" I'd never say that to Mikoto! Not when she has that expression on her face!

"I'm the one getting worked up?!" She repeated, her voice rising. "Seriously, Kamijou Touma? YYou're asking me why I'm the one getting worked up?!"

"Well, you're—"

"Hey now." Both Mikoto and I stopped when we heard that unfamiliar voice call out. We both turned and saw an old couple, standing in front of us holding a basket. The old man stepped forward and—OUCH!

"Why did you have to chop me on the head?!" I asked, touching the part where he chopped me. Mikoto sprung from her position and stood on her toes, trying to see the top of my head.

"Bend down a little would you?" She grunted out when she couldn't see. I did as she said and I felt her hands ruffling and caressing the top of my head. "It wasn't anything serious, Touma. No bumps or anything. Does it hurt?" She asked, a tentative smile on her face. I couldn't help but smile at her too as I grinned.

"Just a bit. I wasn't really hit that hard. I was just surprised since it came out of nowhere I guess."

"Geez." Mikoto sighed as she placed her hands on her waist. "You scared me. I thought you were actually hurt, you know that?"

"Ahahaha. No need to be so—"

"It sure is nice to be young huh?" The old man suddenly said, crossing his arms in front of us before walking back to stand beside the old lady. "I can bet you've already forgotten what it was that you two argued about. But, well, that's just married life, I guess. Things will get bumpy, especially when you're both new to it. Ain't that right, Yumiko?"

"Oh yes, yes." The old lady, Yumiko, which I now presume to be his wife, said as she placed her hand to her cheek. "I remember when we used to be like that ourselves, Genjiro." She said smiling up at her husband.

"So uhmm...who are you again?" I muttered out, staring at them incredulously. Seriously. What's happening here? "And I'll ask again, why did you hit me?!"

"Oh dear, really sorry for that, Kamijou-san." Yumiko-obaa-chan said as she stepped forward and handed Mikoto the basket. "We're the Suichiro's. We live right across the street, so we thought we'd come by to say hello."

"Ah...then, thank you very much." Mikoto said with a bow as she gratefully held the basket in her arms. "Though you really didn't have to go through all this trouble, Suichiro-san."

"Please, call me Yumiko, uhmm...might I ask your name though? Both of you are named Kamijou now, I can't really call you the same name. It would be confusing, don't you think?" The old lady asked sweetly. She seems like a terribly nice neighbour.

"Ah, very well then. My name is Misaka—I mean, K-Kamijou Mikoto." The way she stutters is adorable. "A-and...well..this is my h-husband..Touma."

"Aren't you an adorable little lady?" Genjiro-jii-san said as he walked over and patted Mikoto's head. 'And as for you, young man, Touma was it? Learn to take care of your lady why don't you? She's a fine, precious thing you've got here. Don't you dare be going off and making her cry, got that? She got worried when I smacked you on the head, didn't she? If she cares about you that much, you shouldn't be picking fights with her like that, especially not out in the open!"

"Come now dear, no need to get so worked up." Yumiko-baa-chan said as she patted Genjiro-jii-san's arm. "I do apologize, Mikoto-chan, Touma-chan. Genjiro just has a habit of being over protective of young girls, especially ones around Mikoto-chan's age."

"Not at all, Yumiko-san!" Mikoto said as she shook her head. "We're very grateful that the two of you would be so kind as to give advice to c-couples like us, who are new to things like this. I'm sure Touma appreciates what Genjiro-san has said to him."

_What on earth is happening here? Mikoto...and Yumiko-baa-chan are talking really casually. As if the'd known each other for so long. Genjiro-jii-san butts in every now and then, but Mikoto and Yumiko-baa-chan just laugh him off. Why is it...why is it that I'm the only one that feels out of place here? Why is it that...I'm the only one that...doesn't belong? Wait. Why do I get the feeling that I'm missing something here? Was there something I wanted to accomplish? Is there something I'm forgetting about?_

_Sh-t. There's something. I don't know what, but there's something I'm forgetting!_

"Touma?" Mikoto looked back at me questioningly. I tried to answer back, but my throat suddenly went dry. My vision started blurring and everything was just going on in circles and I couldn't concentrate. "Touma?" Mikoto took a step closer to me, but my knees had suddenly given out. The last thing I saw were Mikoto's and the old couple's shocked faces, as Mikoto ran towards me.

_G-dd-mn-t. What the hell am I forgetting again?!_

**-chapter end-**

**Hey! Sorry for the lateness. I got busy with exams and well...I'm sick again. But anyway, you might be wondering what the hell this chapter was for. I'm telling you this right now. I didn't make an error in uploading this. What you've read really is the fifth chapter. If you're confused, then YAY me. I succeeded! **

**Well, things will all be brought to light soon, so don't worry, okay? See you guys later! Any guesses on what might be happening to our idiotic hero?**


	6. With You Part 2

Chapter 6 – With You (part two)

"It doesn't matter now." Mikoto's voice said cupping my face with her hands. "It doesn't matter right now, Touma. All that matters right now is that I want you to protect this beautiful world while I'm gone. I'll be watching over you, so don't you ever feel alone, cause you're not. But in an instance wherein I don't get back," She removed the ring, the one with Gekota holding a diamond studded flower, our engagement ring from her finger. "I want you to forget. Forget everything and be happy. Don't waste your time on something that's temporary Touma. I already told you that before. "

_**What the—Where...what's going on here? What is this? Where am I?**_

"No way in hell Mikoto." I grabbed the ring from her open palm and placed it back on her finger, despite her qualms. "I don't care. No matter how long I'll wait. I'll wait for you. I will never forget you. I swear okay?" I took out her necklace, the one I gave to her before and held it out to her. "Sumine-san gave this back to me. I'll hold onto it, as proof that you were alive. In exchange, hold onto that ring and do your best to come back to me, Mikoto. Please."

I've never been good with romance and whatnot, but I guess I did a pretty decent job with her. Mikoto was crying tears of joy. As she nodded and smiled, holding her ring clad hand close to her chest. I looked at the clock on my phone. Sh-t. 10:29 pm. I only have one—

"Touma?" Mikoto asked, I looked up, and I was greeted by the warmth of her lips on mine. I unwillingly smiled, before kissing her back and pulling her in closer. God, I love her. But why did fate make it so I had to lose her? As we parted, she rested her forehead on mine as we both caught our breaths.

"I love you Touma." She said in a low voice. I could feel her weight disappearing little by little. I could do nothing but embrace her tighter as she slowly faded away. My tears soaked nothing but the grass, since she was transparent by now.

"I love you BiriBiri, you don't know how much I love you."

_**What's happening? What on earth is happening here?! wh—what...**_

"Of course I do, you big blundering idiot." She said hugging me back and ruffling my hair a bit. "This isn't goodbye, Touma. Not yet."

"Stop speaking alrea—"

I said letting go of her to look at her face, but all I could see was a part of it smiling at me, before it completely disappeared as specks of white light. At the same time, bright lights suddenly lit up the sky in the form of fireworks. For a second, I had forgotten everything as I stared at the scene, with the white specs of light flowing all around me. Somewhere in Academy City, I just knew that everyone Mikoto loved was watching this scene right now, with tears in their eyes, like me.

What the hell is going on?! What is this? What the f-ck am I seeing?! Things started getting fuzzy, before the world around me suddenly spun endlessly, making me dizzy and nauseous. Why Mikoto? Why did you leave me? If you're just gonna die, then might as well take me with you! Don't leave me behind like this damn it! Why did you have to make me lose you?!

"Touma?"

Mikoto's voice suddenly rang in my ears. My eyes shot open and I was immediately met with the sight of her, sitting next to me as I laid down on our bed. We were back in our room. Mikoto was beside me...as I Iie down on our bed. She's here...

"A dream..." I breathed out, all my frustration and tension leaving my body as I exhaled. "It was just...another dream..."

"Touma, are you okay?" She said, moving closer to me and placing a hand on my forehead. "What dream are you talking about? Are you alright? You seem a bit feverish." She repeatedly held my face and forehead, probably trying to check my temperature. "Hey. Touma?" She asked again, holding my face with both of her hands. "Please answer me. You're being so quiet; I don't know what to do. Please tell me if you're hurting or something. I won't know what to do to help you if you don't." Mikoto said worriedly, her hands slightly trembling.

"BiriBiri?" I asked as I held her hand that was on my face. "What's wrong? Your hand is trembling."

"Are you an idiot?!" She said, her voice cracking as she bit back a sob. "You...you suddenly passed out and I...I didn't know what to do. I kept on calling out to you over and over again but nothing seemed to work! If it wasn't for Genjiro-san, I wouldn't have been able to bring you back up here. Then...when you were out of it, you kept on calling out my name...and you were even crying. Your face looked really pale and I...I couldn't wake you up. If you hadn't woken up, I probably would've called an ambulance already and made a huge fuss about this."

"Shhh..." I said, rubbing the top of her head. As I pulled her down with me. "I'm really sorry if I scared you, Mikoto. You don't have to worry. That was nothing, I just felt dizzy. That's all there is to it. You don't have to worry."

"And your dream?" She asked, looking up to me. "What were you dreaming about? You looked really...scared of it or something. What did you see, Touma?"

"Well, that's..." How can I answer her? How can I say that I dreamt about her dying and leaving me? How can I say that I saw and felt her dying in my arms as if it were real? As if it really...happened? why do I feel like...that dream...is more than just a dream? "I can't remember the dream anymore actually. I don't really know how to answer that question."

"Are you sure?" She said with an expression that resembled a pout. "You looked...traumatized or something. How could you forget something that made you look like the way you look right now?"

"I'm not nearly as smart as you, Mikoto. Sorry for having such short term memory." I grumbled fakely, hoping to divert the conversation to a new topic. "And anyway, sorry for ruining our plans for going out, and to think you even prepared for it with that dress and all. Really sorry, Mikoto."

"I-it's fine...I mean, it's not like you did this on purpose or something." She said sitting upright. "Are you sure you're fine now? It's already past 4 in the afternoon already. You must be hungry right?"

"Seriously? Man. How long was I out, really?' I scratched the back of my head as Mikoto smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back at her. "Anyway, did you cook something? I'm absolutely starved right now. I'm sure eating food made by my wife would just be perfect for situations like these." Mikoto blushed and smiled at my words before she stood up and walked over to the door.

"Alright, alright. Since you begged me for it, I guess I don't have a choice now, do I?" She said, holding the door in place as she looked back at me. "Just wait a sec for me, okay? I'll just heat the curry up and then I'll bring some up for you. Just sit back and try not to move so much." She said in a slightly stern voice, emphasizing her intentions.

"I'll miss you too, BiriBiri." I said mockingly as she laughed and walked out of the room. When I was left to be by myself, the smile that I had worn on my face dropped. My hand began trembling as I held it up close to my face. "What the hell was that?"

My dream. I dreamt of Mikoto's...death. She died, right in my arms. She cried, and I couldn't do anything to help her. If that had happened in real life, I don't know what I could've done. I don't know what I would've done after. Just thinking about is enough to make me want to curl up in a ball and die. I'd rather die than see her like that. Suffering. In pain. Her tears streaming down her face as she tried to smile and be strong for me.

"I won't be able to live with something like that." I muttered out, my hands gripping my hair, wanting to pull it out of frustration. "It was just a dream. Convince yourself that it's just a dream, Kamijou Touma. It's just a dream, an illusion. An illusion that you're made to destroy. What's the use of Imagine Breaker if you can't protect the only person that you'll ever love as much as you do now?"

I laid my head back down onto my pillow as I stared at the lights on our ceiling. No matter how much I think about it, this reality seems like a dream. But after having a dream like the one I had, I'm starting to doubt which is a dream and which is reality.

* * *

"You're cooking is really great, Mikoto." I said taking another bite of the curry she had made for me.

"Oh please, Kamijou Touma. You should learn that flattery won't get you in my good books for anything." She said as she placed a glass of water on my—I meant, our bedside table. Knowing that I'm married to her still gets me good. "Though I really am thankful that you liked it. I made it earlier for Genjiro-san and Yumiko-san, since they took great efforts to help you when you passed out. They didn't want to leave me alone, but I insisted that I'd be fine."

"You should've let them stay, you know?" I said as I drank a bit before continuing my food. "If you had them stay, then you didn't have to wait for me alone. I don't want you staying in such an empty house by yourself Mikoto."

"But I'm not alone, since I know that you'll come back to me." She said with a smile. "Sure, it was really quiet. I've gotten so used to talking with you all the time that I felt like the silence was deafening. I tried baking, cleaning and other wife-ly things. Whenever I got lonely or sad, I just went up here and sat next to you."

I was stunned to hear her say that. I mean, just imagine it. The great Misaka Mikoto having such a sad face as she baked or cleaned the house. I'm actually glad that I was asleep so I couldn't see—Wait, why am I glad? I caused her to be sad, damn it.

"Touma? What's wrong?" Mikoto tilted her head to the side as she looked at me curiously. "Is the curry too spicy for you?"

"I'm sorry, Mikoto." I said, placing the spoon on my plate. "It must've been like hell. Staying in this house like that. I'm really sorry..."

"What're you saying Touma?" She said, ruffling my hair. "It was only for a few hours. I don't mind waiting for you, even if it took you years to come back to me. I'd never get tired of waiting, if in return you can be by my side, safe and unharmed. That's all I really want Touma, for you to be happy and safe. Even if it's not with me."

"What're _you_ saying now?"

"Think about it, Touma." She said, plopping down on the chair next to the bed. "Seconds, minutes, a few hours, days, weeks, months, years, and hell, even decades, centuries and generations. If spent on someone you love, does time ever really matter?"

What is she-?

"Did you know?" Mikoto placed her elbow on the table and rested her cheek on top of her palm. Her other hand reached out and took a framed picture of the both of us. It was...from her middle school graduation ceremony? It was a stolen picture, taken by Ruiko of course. Mikoto held her diploma as we stood out in the cherry tree fields of the School Garden as I stood next to her, scratching my head sheepishly. Mikoto was smiling broadly at me. That memory...why can't I remember it? "Someone once told me that love is like glue. The longer you wait for it to dry, the stronger the bond is. I laughed at stuff like that before, but now I guess I understand them. Love isn't just about the happiness of being together, it's also bearing the pain of losing that very same person that gave you so much happiness."

"Isn't that kind of thinking just sad?" I interjected, not really knowing what I was saying. Mikoto looked at me and smiled, as if she encouraged me to go on. "I mean, shouldn't loving someone and being loved back be a great thing? Shouldn't it be a happy thing? Happiness and sadness don't belong to the same equation. A love where you need sadness to be happy is just...a world like that is just cruel." I don't know why, but the words I just said pierced through my heart like a large iron stake. Where did I get those words from anyway?

"Cruel...huh?" Mikoto said as she held the picture and faced me. "I never knew you thought of the world as cruel, Touma."

"That's—"

"But..." She cut me off, before looking at the picture again. She smiled and placed the picture on my lap. "Can you seriously call the world that brought the two of us together cruel, Touma?" I stared at the picture and noticed how happy I looked. I... no matter what I try to do, I can't seem to remember this picture. Why can't I—

'_**This world is really amazing Mikoto!'**_

"What the—" Whose voice was that? Was it mine?

"I don't think like that at all." Mikoto suddenly said, walking around the bed to she could get to the window to the veranda. She slid the glass door open and stared outside. "We've both been through a lot. I have to admit that there's more than just one instance when I thought that my death was the only answer, but you came and showed me that it's not. That no one has to die. That I don't have to act like a freaking martyr every single damned time we face a problem. At the end of all the fights and problems, when we wake up to a brand new morning, everything seems so bright, doesn't it? This world...to me...it's very beautiful. It may have its imperfections, but it's still beautiful nonetheless. It beats any other dream that I have. Do you want to know why?"

"Why's that?"

"Because there's only one of you in this world, Touma." She answered stepping out and looking back at me. "The real you exists in the real world. The image of you in my mind isn't enough to compensate for the feeling of your presence in the real world. After all, no matter how much we all try to deny it, everything is just an illusion."

I don't really know why she's saying all of this to me right now but I—wait a minute. And at that very moment, things finally made sense. The pieces finally clicked, and I finally saw the entire picture.

"Damn." I said with a laugh as I scratched my head. "To think that after all these years, I'm still as stupid as ever." I stood from the bed and stretched, before walking over to where Mikoto stood. She was smiling broadly at me, giggling for a bit.

"I take it that you finally figured it out?" She said as she took a breath and smiled. "I must say, it took you long enough."

"Yeah, well. I really was never the smartest pea in the pod. I'm already struggling with high school algebra aren't I? How do you expect me to see through this elaborate set up huh?"

"Oh please. You really do flatter me too much." She laughed, patting me on my shoulder. "It's not that elaborate if you think about it. It's just a normal everyday prank, for the lack of a better term."

"I'd call it a lecture." I shrugged, ruffling her hair. "And to think you made Mikoto get caught up in something like this too. I must say, you do have some guts, kid."

"Oh geez." She pouted. "You figured that out too? Now where's the fun in that? And why do you seem so surprised that I have this much nerve to do something like this? Who do you think my parents are?" She smiled. I walked over and hugged her, holding her tight in my arms. I felt her wrap her arms around me and hug me back as her tears seeped through my shirt. "It was fun...wasn't it?"

"Yeah..." I answered, stroking the top of her head. "I had a lot of fun. But it's about time that we both woke up from this dream."

"I guess so..." she hugged me tighter before she took a breath and let me go. Tears were still running through her cheeks as she smiled. "It was fun being with you, Touma."

"Geez you..." I said wiping her tears as I felt myself getting lighter. "I'll demand more respect from you when we get back to the real world, you hear me?" The world around us distorted as I turned to tiny little particles from my feet up. When I was finally about to disappear, I took one last look at the girl before me and smiled. "I'll see you later..." She seemed surprised and I couldn't help but smile wider. "Narushi..."

"Really." She said with a smile as my consciousness slipped away from me. "Where's the fun in this now...Papa?"

* * *

"You really are such a weird girl, you know that?" Kamijou Touma asked, hands to his waist as he looked at his girlfriend, Misaka Mikoto. They were currently situated in a relatively new and comfy French cafe that specialized in cakes and pasta."For you to get worked up about such a small trivial thing."

"It is not a trivial matter!" Mikoto shouted back at him, her face turning red from both embarrassment and anger. "You know very well that I get really worked up when I face crowds! So more that I have to say an entire freaking speech!"

"Honestly." Touma sighed as he watched her wolf down another cake. "Was Heaven Canceller just joking when he said that you've forgotten who you were? The way I see it, you're pretty much the same, if not worse."

"Oi, oi, oi. I can hear you, you know that right?" She glared at him as she sipped her tea. "Just leave me be, will you? Go. Shoo, shoo. Scram!" She motioned her hand, as if ordering a dog to just buzz off.

"You called me out here, Mikoto." He deadpanned as he ate his pasta. "And besides, we're still eating. It's rude to leave when your food is unfinished." He reasoned, as he watched her sulk back into depression. "Seriously though, if you knew so well how worked up you'd get, why accept it in the first place? You could've rejected that speech and then ask someone else to do it."

"I'm part of the honour roll and one of the level 5's. I can't really blame the teachers for assigning me this. I can't just reject it. And besides, who in the right mind would accept it if the ceremony is tomorrow? My pride is on the line here." She sunk back into her seat as she took a look outside of the window. People were passing by as students who wore their respective uniforms walked around and enjoyed their youth. "But more than just my pride, I want to do this. I don't want to let anyone down. I want...to be able to see the happy faces of everyone on that day."

Touma stared at her, watching how she smiled at the scene of the people of Academy City pass by the window where she sat next to. People she mostly didn't know, even. A smile escaped his lips as he watched her, the features of her face getting more and more noticeable for him. The way her eyes shone with brilliance when she smiled, how her lips curved with every words she says, and how her hair falls into place perfectly each and every time. How lucky is he, Kamijou Touma, to have been loved and still presently be loved by a girl as great as Misaka Mikoto?

"I don't really understand what you're saying Mikoto..." He said, making her look and pout at him. "But...I just want you to know, that no matter what you choose to do, you'll never disappoint me. You don't have to do anything to make me proud of you or some other crap like that. I already am proud of you. Any more of it and I'll be bragging it to the whole world that I have the best girlfriend in the entire universe."

'Don't you dare, Kamijou Touma." Mikoto said seriously, but a smile broke her facade. "Seriously though. Don't do it or else another whole group of weirdoes are going to come after us and mess with our lives all over again. Or have you turned into a masochist and you actually want that to happen?"

"Geez, here we are with that masochist issue again..." He muttered, twisting his pasta with his fork. "I am not a masochist okay? Just because I'm in a committed relationship with you doesn't mean I'm a masochist right? What would that make of you?"

"I'd be up for nomination for being a martyr for putting up with a perverted masochist like you." She scoffed before looking at her chest and noticing the pendant that she wore around her neck. A smile tugged at her lips, and she couldn't fight the urge to just hold and fiddle with the little thing, as she was reminded of everything that happened over the past year and a half. Touma took notice of her silence and smiled, seeing how much she adored the necklace he had given her.

"Hey Mikoto..." He said, making her sound a sweet hum as a response. "Hey now, don't make me regret giving that to you alright? If you're gonna pay more attention to it than me, I'd rather throw it away into the pits of despair."

"This is ironic." Mikoto laughed as she let go of Gekota, letting it dangle on her chest. "The Great Hero of Academy City, the Legendary Level 0, and the Rumoured Mysterious Badass that defeats all the evil in this city, getting jealous over a frog pendant? Want me to call Saten-san and ask her to out that up on that website?" She said taking out her phone.

"Unlike you, I don't know that much of a reputation to keep, but please don't do it. I don't want to deal with anymore extra trouble. I'm already having a hard time preparing for my senior year." I said, taking a huge bite of the past and munching down on it grudgingly. "I don't really get why we have to work so hard just for a few exams. I mean, it's a bunch of months away for god's sake! Why the hell do we have to prepare for them now?"

"Oh.." She said, her tone obviously losing all her cheeriness. "Don't be like that Touma. You're an idiot, Komoe-sensei is just worried about your future, so she's making you prepare in advance for it." She tried to smile at me, but I could see it. That facade of hers again. It was unlike earlier. This time, she's seriously just playing along with things. She's hiding what she truly feels again.

"Mikoto, I may not have known you for long, in fact it's only been about what, 2 years or so? But I do know when you're hiding something from me or not." I said, drinking my water and looking at her. "What's bothering you? And don't even try to deny it. Understand?" She smiled and was about to say something, until she just looked down, her smile faltering.

"It's nothing really." She said with a small shrug. "Just remembering me and a few of my insecurities. Nothing too serious, really."

"Mikoto." He said in a knowing voice. "You've already started talking, don't tell me you're just gonna stop when things get interesting."

"Hah. What a pervert you are, wanting to know every thought that runs in my head and even go so far as to say it's interesting. What is an innocent maiden to do-?"

"Misaka Mikoto. Don't you go and change the subject." Mikoto pouted at him before looking back at the window. Touma sighed, thinking of the right words to say to her. She still wasn't saying anything, even though minutes have already gone by, so he decided to just wing it. "I'll always be on your side. Even when you're wrong, I'll be by your side, and I'll smack you in the head if that's what it takes to bring you back. But in these situations Mikoto, if you keep the problem all to yourself, I don't know what I should do to bring you back. You know that I won't judge you, right? So I don't really get why you're holding back on me like this."

"It's a very stupid reason..." She muttered out, a small blush forming on her cheeks. "It's a very minor, small, minute, stupid reason, really. It's embarrassing."

"And that's a reason for you not tell me why?"

"Ugh...I hate it when you get all smart with me like this." She grunted, squishing her head between her arms on top of the table. Manners be damned, this situation was very frustrating. "You're always the same. You don't have logic when it matters, but when it comes to things like this, your words defeat any of the great seven sage philosophers of Greece."

"You don't—"

"Age."She suddenly said, crossing her arms over the table and placing her head on top of them, her face hidden from him.

"What...did you just say?"

"Our...it's our age difference, okay?" she grumbled on, burying her head even deeper into her arms. "It annoys me, every time I remember that your two years ahead of me. I'll be entering high school when you're about to leave it. When I do finish high school you'll probably be really mature since you've been with college students. Knowing that we can never...walk on the same path is just... I just hate it."

"_She had thoughts like that? She's been worried about that?"_ Touma thought to himself as he watched her hunched figure fidget and move in the tiniest way.

"I mean, not to doubt you or anything, but humans...they fall into the wrong things way too easily. They make the wrong choices, wrong assumptions, they say the wrong things and they always, always end up getting hurt. It's kinda stupid, now that I think about it, but...it really makes me worry, wondering what you can see. I'm lagging two steps behind you, so all I can really see and look forward to is your back, taking a step forward away from me. But you, you have nothing standing in your way. You can clearly see what's ahead of you. I'm nothing but a brat..."

"Oi, oi, oi. Where did you get all this from?" Touma finally asked, lightly chopping her head, but she refused to show her face.

"I told you it was stupid and embarrassing." She mumbled, wishing she could just die from the shame. "Two years isn't really that much, but it really bothers me."

"Mikoto, I've met and known couples who are have greater age gaps than ours, and they still work it out in the long run. I've read somewhere that in other countries, ten years isn't much of a difference for them. What more could two years be right? Two years is comparatively short you know?"

"Two years can mean a lot to a person, Touma." She said, slowly looking up to meet his gaze. "You may think that it doesn't matter, that it'll just pass by you like the wind, but for other people, two years is a great thing."

"But you really won't notice it go by, well, not unless you're keeping count of course." Touma looked confused, as he stared at Mikoto, who was seemingly in deep thought. "But then, for you to be counting off means that you have a definite end. It's as if you're anticipating your own death." The moment his words escaped his mouth, he regretted them. He looked forward and saw how Mikoto stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth open slightly, as if she wanted to say something. "W-what's with that reaction, Mikoto?"

"A-ah, it's nothing." She smiled, trying to shake off her nervousness, but why was she nervous in the first place? "I was just surprised that you were able to come up with such an in depth insight of something that came from random rambling."

"Mikoto..."

"But hey, don't you just love the cakes here?" She said, smiling brightly, as if nothing had happened. ""I mean, the pasta is great too, and Joseph's is still my favourite place, but this cafe does have pretty good pastries! Maybe we should bring Uiharu-san, Saten-san and Kuroko too!"

"Mikoto, you—"

"Okay, Touma?" She said again, looking at him with a pleading look in her eyes as she tried to smile. Touma did his best to restrain the curious part of him, as he did his best to smile back at her and nod.

"Sure!" He said, gripping his hand under the table.

"Good!"

"Okay then!"

"...Yeah."

And that seemed to bring about the ruin of that day. From that moment on, continuing on until they left the cafe, they both hadn't said a word to one another. Both not knowing what to say or feel after something like that. Later that night, as Kamijou Touma laid on his bed, staring at his ceiling, a knock came from his door. Cursing lightly, he managed to drag his feet to the door and open it, revealing his neighbour, Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

"Yo, Kami-yan~!" He greeted. "Don't you look like sh-t on this fine night~?"

"Don't mess around with me right now, Tsuchimikado." Touma grumbled as he walked back to his bed. He heard footsteps and the door closing, so his friend must've welcomed himself to his home. "What the hell do you want anyway? It's already past 9, shouldn't you be fawning over Maika by now?"

"Oh how rude, Kami-yan~" Tsuchimikado teased as he sat on the floor, placing a package on his table. "I just came to deliver this, but I guess I have really good timing, since you look so troubled. So, why not tell your dear friend about it? I can bet that it's about Misaka-chan~"

"Who else could make me look the way I do now with just the mere thought of them huh? Of course it's Mikoto. Damn, since when did you become my confidante/advisor huh? I mean, with all the offense intended in the world, you give pretty crappy advice."

"And yet you still ask for it." He retorted. "So, what did you two argue about now?"

"That's just it." Touma replied, falling back onto his bed. "We_ didn't _ argue. We both just smiled and said random single words and that was the death of our conversation. She just walked away from me the moment we left the cafe, she didn't say anything, not even a simple good bye or something."

"Then it's your fault. You already know how Misaka-chan is. You should've been the one to do something about that situation rather than just smiling and agreeing randomly. You should have been the better person. I know that may sound stupid, because at this point in her life, she should learn to associate more normally again after the Angel Incident, but fact of the matter is, she still can't. What were you talking about before things got awkward anyway?"

"We were talking about her graduation ceremony, then we went over to our age difference, and then she talked about how two years are important and stuff. I don't really remember how things turned sour, they just...did, I guess." He shrugged, exhaling. "But...I never knew that she was so insecure of our age difference. It never really mattered to me, but when she said it, I guess I finally took it into consideration."

"That's because you're dense, Kami-yan. Any girl would be worried if they were in a relationship with an older guy." He shrugged. 'I mean, older guys are after all more prone to having affairs than guys of their age. High school, more so college, is a completely different place from middle school."

"It isn't that different, well, to me anyway. And as if I'd ever have an affair... " Touma muttered, staring at his ceiling. "I don't really care about the age thing, I'm more worried about how Mikoto takes it. She called it her insecurity, if you can believe it. She said she was _insecure _of it. You know very well how bad things get when she's honest about those kinds of things."

"Seriously, you don't trust Misaka-chan enough, you know that?" Tsuchimikado stood up and walked over to him, throwing the small package at his face. "There. Hopefully that can be the answer to all of your stupidity, or not. It's up to you, really."

"What the hell is this?" Touma asked as he rubbed his nose while sitting up. "This isn't some sort of prank right? Like planting a porn movie somewhere in the room or something..." Tsuchimikado laughed at him as he walked over to the door.

"I'd be more scared of what Misaka-chan would do to me. She'd definitely go ballistic on me, if ever." He opened the door and stepped out. "Don't worry, that's not a porn video. I wouldn't have the guts to face Misaka-chan. But, in a way, it's related to her. I guess you could say that all of us are connected to her, so when something's wrong with either of you, we poor others have to take the initiative to fix things." And so the door clicked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Touma asked himself as he stared at the door. Realizing that staring at the door wouldn't get him anywhere, Touma decided to open the package. It was a tape recorder. Who uses tape recorders nowadays? "I never thought the day would come that I'm thankful for Index's obsession with that Magical Girl show. Good thing I still kept the player/recorder she pestered me for." He rambled onto himself as he set up the player and placed the tape inside. "I wonder what sort of crap Tsuchimikado has planned now." Touma sat back on his bed and took the remote, pressing the Play button. But the screen remained dark. He tried pressing it again, but nothing happened. He pressed it again and still, nothing. "Are the batteries dead?" He said to himself as he checked it.

"_Ah...Uhmm...well..."_ A familiar voice suddenly said. Touma looked over to the screen and saw that even though it was still pitch black, you could detect slight movements from it. _"UGH! I really can't do this you guys!" The voice whined._

"Mikoto?" Touma asked in confusion as he listened attentively.

"_You can do it, Misaka-san!" Uiharu cheered. "We'll all be cheering for you!"_

"_That's right, Misaka-san!" Saten added. "It's just us girls here! No need for you to get so worked up! We'll definitely be there tomorrow so you have to practice!"_

"_MOU! Seriously, though!" The image on the screen brightened up and Mikoto appeared to be standing on some sort of low platform. They were in Uiharu's dorm room."I can't just say that long speech like this! I need to mentally prepare for it! And besides, no one is supposed too hear this before the ceremony!"_

"_And this is your preparation, Onee-sama!" Kuroko's voice said. "I'm going to record it so you can see how you look as you speak. If you don't want others to see you trembling the way you are now, I suggest we do this."_

"_You're even going to record it?!"Mikoto whined once more. "Uuuuuhhhh... Come on you guys! Are you seriously gonna subject me to this?"_

"_It's for your own personal gain, Misaka-san!" Saten stood up and held Mikoto by the shoulders. "You had an argument with Kamijou-san didn't you? He said that he didn't really care about your age, right? Well then, let's prove him wrong! I mean, he should be at least a little worried for you! You have to sound mature at the ceremony! You have to make him think that you're more mature than him! That's definitely strike a nerve in him! No matter how dense he is, he's still an alpha male after all."_

"_Hearing you say those words is kind of scary..." Mikoto muttered as she took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's do this!" She said seriously. Saten nodded before she walked back and sat down._

"_Very well then, Onee-sama. I'm already recording, so please feel free to begin when you are ready." Kuroko said and Mikoto just_ _nodded. She closed her eyes and tried to relax before she finally spoke._

"_G-good day to you all." Mikoto began, shakily at first. She took another deep breath before she continued. "I have spent three years in this wonderful institution. I have met many wonderful people, and made many wonderful friends. Suffice to say, the journey wasn't easy. It was hard and gruelling, with the road bumping and callusing. But as the headmaster once said "You must learn to face trials, as a lady." I know I probably shouldn't say this, but when we were alone, she told me this. "You know what, Misaka-san? A lady, no matter how strong they are, should have someone she can trust by her side." This is true for all of us. We are heading out into a wider and vaster world. We have to admit, being in Tokiwadai is like being wrapped in silk, protected from all the dirt. Most people view us as ojou-samas, as princesses, as young ladies and other variants. We, of all people, should know how critically wrong that thinking is. It is true that we may have been spoiled in our earlier years, but after our 3-year stay, I'd personally say that things have changed. After being subjected to out dorm mistresses stern laws, being put through gruelling battle simulations using our abilities, and having been faced with my worst enemy, cooking, we—" Mikoto was cut off, her face beet red as small fits of laughter could be hear. Even the image was being shaky. "Damn it, guys! I was actually getting used to it and you just had to laugh!"_

'_I...we're sorry b-but—" Saten stuttered, but ended up bursting in laughter. "We can't help it Misaka-san! Your speech was going so well, and then...and then you had to say that...THAT-!"_

"_COOKING was your worst enemy!" Uiharu laughed out loud." Mi-Misaka-san's...w-w-worst enemy is c-c-c-COOKING of all things!"_

"_P-pardon my insolence, Onee-sama, but..." Kuroko giggled, and the image got really shaky. "Wh-why'd you have to put so=something like that?"_

"_I couldn't help it!" Mikoto pouted. "The headmaster told me that my first speech was too formal, it'd bore the listeners out of their wits. So she asked me to put in my weaknesses...like cooking."_

"_I think people might lose their reverence for you once they hear that though." Saten remarked. "But anyway, please...keep going, Misaka-san. We'll try to stop laughing, okay?"_

"_Alright fine..." Mikoto sighed before nervously fidgeting with her fingers. "As I was saying, we have been through a lot that most people wouldn't believe it. We entered this institution as children who couldn't do anything without their parents' influence, but today, we'll be leaving it as proper ladies. Please allow me to use this time as a means of showing my appreciation and gratitude to all those who have helped me get where I am now. To those people who didn't see me as a Level 5, rather, they saw me, Misaka Mikoto, the childish girl that often lets her head run rampant in a heat of rage."_

"Well, at least you actually acknowledged that fact." Touma said to himself as he saw Mikoto smile in the video.

"_Firstly, I'd like to thank all the teachers, the headmaster, the dorm mistresses and all the staff of Tokiwadai Middle School that have not only helped me, but the entire student body. Thank you very much for all your hard work. Second, I'd like to thank my mother, who is in the audience right now, and my father, who may not be present due to certain time restrictions, but is proud of me nonetheless."_

"_I'm pretty sure Misuzu-san will be touched deeply when Misaka-san calls her name like that on stage!" Uiharu said happily. "Surely any parent would be."_

"_Yes, well, let's just do our best to divert her attention from any form of liquor before and during the ceremony..." Kuroko added._

"_I can hear you guys, you know?" Mikoto said, looking at them with narrowed eyes. "Anyway, where did I stop again? Oh, yeah with Mama. Then, next, I'd like to extend my gratitude to my schoolmates. Thank you, everyone, for making my stay in Tokiwadai a meaningful one. I'd also like to thank my friends, and my kouhai, for sticking up with me, even though I can be a definite pain. Thank you guys so much, for going out of your way to attend this ceremony." Mikoto smiled at the camera and you could hear a small cluster of applause coming from her small audience. "Actually...I've been given notice that the collaborative high school partner of Tokiwadai for Academy City's foundation week was invited, and that Komoe-sensei and some members of the class that was paired with mine are here..."_

"_No way, they'll be in the ceremony too?" Saten interrupted. "Misaka-san, you didn't organize this now, did you?"_

"_No! Of course I didn't!" Mikoto denied. " When my first speech was rejected, the headmaster also told me that she invited the class I was paired with. Komoe-sensei was really excited and she agreed right away."_

"_So...Kamijou-san will be there, there's no doubt about it then." Uiharu said._

"_Enough of the ape talk." Kuroko interjected, making the others turn to her. "Onee-sama, I know you have faith in my capabilities but my arms are starting to get tired from holding the camera up. Could you please get this over with?"_

"_Oh yeah, right. Sorry about that." Mikoto coughed for a bit before she continued. "For the1st year class of a Certain High School from last year, thank you very much for going out of your way to see me and all those you have made connections with through our collaboration, graduate on this fateful day. Next school year, we'll be nearly in the same environment as you Seniors, so, if we ever we get the chance to meet each other once more, please do take care of us. Uhm...you...you may not be aware of this, but...the time that I spent with you during that week has been priceless. It will forever be etched in the deepest recesses of my heart and I'll keep it with me forever. I'm sorry...if I have caused problems for you, or if I had said some wrong things, I really do apologize. I was just...intimidated, I guess. Being in the same environment as you was my greatest wish, but once I was there, I was frozen. I didn't know what to do anymore...and I may have panicked and I did the wrong things and I'm really sorry. But I just want things to go back to the way they were. I just want...to be with you like before. Time is such a precarious thing after all. You don't pay any attention to it when you have it, but then it slips through your fingers like grains of sand until it's...until it's all gone... I'm sure...that one day, we'll end up the same..." Mikoto looked down and clutched the cloth on her chest, holding onto the pendant behind it. "But even so...even if time is running right_ _now as I speak, I will face it. I will face this reality. The same way I did with my fears. All I ask...is that...is that you stay beside me through this journey..."_

_Silence ensued them as Mikoto seemed to be lost in her own little world. _

"_Uhm...that was amazing, Misaka-san." Uiharu said, making Mikoto look at her. "I was really touched, and you didn't look nervous at all but—"_

"_But try not to make it into a message for Kamijou-san okay?" Saten interrupted. "A lot of people will probably be confused, well, if they don't know about Kamijou-san that is."_

"_A-ah, b-but t-that's..." Mikoto stuttered as her face turned red. "I really wasn't talking about..."_

_The image blacked out for a bit, before it turned back on in a second, revealing Kuroko. She was inside a bathroom, with the towels and soap as the only evidence. _

"_You really are one hell of a b-st-rd huh, Kamijou-senpai?" She spat out bitterly. "Making Onee-sama worry about you like that. But then again, no matter what I say, Onee-sama will hold onto her decision of staying with you. But I swear, if I see Onee-sama make that face of hurt once more, you will never live to see another daylight, got it?"_

"Geez, it's just a video but I can feel how she wants to kill me..." Touma muttered to himself as he watched Kuroko grind her teeth in a menacing way.

"_Haaah, well, anyway, let me get straight to the point now, Kamijou-san." Kuroko said, a hand on her waist. "You know very well that Onee-sama's condition can be very...delicate. I know that you're not mad at her, you don't have a reason to, but Onee-sama thinks that you are. It seems as if she lost as her confidence in your relationship because you found out about her insecurity. She will always care for you, deeply, though saying that sickens me but I must learn to accept that, so much that she's overlooking the possibility that this can be fixed by the both of you, and not by herself alone. I won't be able to do much for Onee-sama, except to cheer her on as I am now, but you can. Just...say want you really want to say to her. Your honesty will surely cheer her up and it may just let her regain her confidence in both herself and your relationship."_

"_Shirai-saaaaan! Misaka-san is calling for you!" Uiharu's voice shouted as a knock was heard._

"_Well, you heard that. I must be on my way." Kuroko sighed as she took the camera from wherever it was she placed it. "Take more care of Onee-sama, you barbaric ape."_

_And so the video ended. _

Touma stared at the screen of his television as the video menu played back. He was stunned, to say the least at what he had just witnessed. Mikoto was never one to be scared or discouraged, but this video was actual proof of it. His phone vibrated in his pocket, so he took it out and read the message.

_**From: Tsuchimikado Motoharu**_

_**Message: You must've finished it by now right? Don't be an idiot Kami-yan, go and talk to her. I'm rooting for you *insert a bunch of weird emoticons here***_

"The world has a cruel notion when it gave me Tsuchimikado as my friend." Touma muttered out as he fiddled on his phone to compose a new message. When he was done, he read through it before pressing send and smiling proudly. A little while later, his phone vibrated again and he smiled as he saw the message.

_**From: Misaka Mikoto**_

_**Message: Thanks. We both have really good friends, don't we? Don't be late tomorrow okay, Idiot?**_

Below it was a picture. He waited for it to load and he couldn't help but laugh as he saw it. It was a picture of Mikoto, Uiharu and Saten holding out peace signs as Kuroko was burnt or rather electrified into black chunks of coal on the floor, smoke still rising from her body. His gaze zoomed in on Mikoto's face as she smiled brightly, her cheeks slightly flushed . He clicked on the picture and pressed "Save".

"Now then..." Touma said to himself as he stretched his arms upwards. "What to do for tomorrow..." He said, leaving his phone on his bed as he stood up and walked over to his closet and rummaged through it.

_**To: Misaka Mikoto**_

_**Message: I love you and all, but try not to say that in front of everyone okay? You won't be able to hold me responsible if I went up to stage and kissed you right there and then if you say those words. Great speech, and good luck, BiriBiri. You'll be fine, we'll both be fine.**_

-chapter end-

**AAAAWWWWWWW~! I'm sorry. I just had to say that. If you're getting confused with the storyline, please just tell me or ask me via PM or reviews. Thanks~! Well, I don't really know in which part of the story we're in now... But the second part, starting from when Touma and Mikoto were in a cafe, up until the first part of the next chapter is a flashback from 6 years ago. So that would mean Mikoto is 16, since her birthday is on May 2 and graduation ceremonies are usually in the latter part of that month, right? And Touma would be 18!**

**P.S. I really really really really want to go back to high school Just kidding~! Good luck to all of us. Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you will! Ja-ne~**!


	7. Awase Narushi

Chapter 7 –AWASE NARUSHI

"Did you have a wonderful dream?" A melodious voice asked as my eyes fluttered open, blurring and adjusting themselves to the bright light of the morning. The owner of the voice giggled and I felt movement from my side. "Your hair is all messed up, stupid." She said as her hands went up and fixed my spiky, permanently messy, hair.

"Oh, stop that." I said, yawning out and stretching my arms. "It feels weird when you do that, especially now that I know who you are, Narushi."

"Don't be so mean." Narushi pouted as she stepped back and smiled at me. "I'm not asking you to treat me any differently, the time will come when you do it of your own accord, but in this time frame, I'm your friend. So treat me as one."

"Well, aren't you a demanding little thing." I joked around as I looked out the window, only to be greeted by the familiar sight of the sky, a huge tree, the sun, Friedrich and Josephine sitting on a tree branch, the clou—WAIT WHAT?! "What the hell are you guys doing there?!" I screamed, making Friedrich chuckle as he carried Josephine bridal style and jumped from the branch into my room.

"Good day to you, Master Kamijou." Josephine bowed and smiled. "I hope you had a great rest. Your body needs it very much. Please do take care of yourself more. Mistress Mikoto would've wanted that for you too, you know. Not that I need to remind you of any of that."

"Uhh..."

"It's good to see you awake too, Kamijou-kun." Friedrich greeted as he set Josephine down. "We've been wondering when you'd notice us. I can't believe it took you so long."

"Well then sorry." Touma said dryly. "I usually have visitors waiting outside my door, not my freaking window, so pardon me if I hadn't even bothered to notice your pedohilic existence."

"Your banters aside..." Narushi commented, making all of us turn to her. "I've already explained things, well, a few of the things, to them, Idiot Touma. They know the gist of the situation, but now that you're awake, I guess I can finally say it."

"Look you guys, I know we're all in a hurry to find out the truth here, but I am honestly starving. How long was I out anyway?" I said, rubbing my stomach. Narushi sighed, before she shook her head with a amused smile. She turned her back and took the small bag from the chair she sat on and placed it on my lap.

"I knew you'd say that, so I made this for you." She said proudly. I couldn't help but smile as I dared to open the contents of the bento box inside the bag she gave me.

"Are you sure you should be looking so proud right now?" I asked, trying to look as disgusted as possible. "Mikoto was honestly a disaster in the kitchen, and anything she made caused a riot in your stomach too, usually lasting a week or so. What more could you be?"

"What the hell are you saying?" Narushi asked with a confused expression. "The Mikoto that I knew was a pretty decent cook. I mean, sure she's not 5 star restaurant chef quality, but the meals she cooks are really good too! She was the one who taught me how to cook, so I can at least assure you they're edible, even though they're probably not as good as hers."

"With what you said, I therefore conclude that you live in a completely different dimension from us!" I whined. Seriously. I know Mikoto is smart and talented in everything, EXCEPT COOKING. And she even admits that. So why does Narushi know differently?

"Oh shut up and eat." Narushi waved me off as she pulled the chair closer and sat on it. "While you do, I'll go on with my explanation, okay?" I nodded and opened the lid of the bento box. It was tamagoyaki (friend eggs Japanese style) with octopus shaped hotdogs, some vegetables and rice balls. Friedrich leaned on the window sill while Josephine stood up straight in her usual formal posture. I took a bite of the tamagoyaki and—HELL. It was good. I tried the rice balls, and somehow, it reminded me of Mikoto.

"Okay, let me just say this before all else okay?" Narushi looked at me, trying to be as calm as possible, but I knew that look. It was the same look on Mikoto's face whenever we were doing taste tests of the food she cooks. "Mikoto was definitely the one who taught you how to make these. The tamagoyaki, I'm still skeptical, but as for the rice balls, there's no doubt about it. Only Mikoto could make rice balls taste like this."

"She told me that you'd say that too." Narushi said with a sentimental smile on her face. She fake coughed before turning all serious again. "Anyway, putting that aside, I know that a lot of you probably had doubts in me, right from the very beginning, right?"

"I'm pretty sure we were right about that though, little missy." Friedrich answered, with that familiar grin of his. I suddenly felt this urge to kick him out of the window. Narushi did act like a child, and she was pretty cute too. Damn pedophile.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Claude." I muttered. "Or else you'll decapitate yourself."

"Courtesy of your right hand no less, I presume?" He laughed. "Don't worry though. My intentions of her have been stripped clean the very second I was introduced to her, despite not knowing anything."

"Damn right they should be stripped. They shouldn't even exist in the first place!" Narushi crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes twitching with irritation. "But seriously, I need to get this story started with because we are extremely pressed for time. So no more stupid interruptions, got it?" Friedrich and I just nodded as I took another bite. Damn this is good.

"Well, now that that's settled, I want to tell you that my mom is in deep trouble." She said, fingers fiddling with the ring on her ring finger. I blanked out at her. What the hell is she—

"Your mother?" Josephine asked. "Are you...referring to—"

"Misaka Mikoto." Narushi answered straightforwardly. "Oh wait, I guess that isn't her name anymore. It should be Kamijou Mikoto, right? Since she will be married to this idiot of a man after all." She said pointing to me.

"Ah, I thought so." Josephine smiled, before taking a small bow again. "In that case, please allow me to greet you properly, Young Lady Narushi, since you are, after all, Mistress Mikoto's daughter."

"I never expected you to say that so casually, kid." I commented as I took another bite. "And don't call me an idiot, I'm still your dad you know."

"In the future that is." Narushi shrugged. This little brat... "In my memories, you were always smiling and laughing. You and Mama always bantered with one another, but then you'd concede and hug her and apologize. I always thought that you two were perfect for each other. But right now, you're just a sleazy guy who can't mature. By the way, the reason why the both of you always fought is because of women."

"Well.." Josephine giggled. "That sounds very likely to happen with Master Kamijou."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this from my own daughter! My own daughter of all—"

"SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER?!" Friedrich suddenly shouted. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ALL SO CALM RIGHT NOW?! KAMIJOU-KUN HAS A DAUGHTER! A DAUGHTER! A FREAKING DAUGHTER FOR GOODNESS' SAKE!"

"Please calm down, Master Frie." Josephine sighed. "I'm actually more shocked that you didn't realize it any sooner."

"HOW CAN THAT BEAUTIFUL AND ADORABLE LITTLE LADY BE KAMIJOU-KUN'S DAUGHTER?! WHERE'S THE JUSTICE IN THAT?!" He shouted again.

"OI." I said coldly, my mood dropping drastically. "I don't know if I'm pissed at you because you're trying to hit on my daughter or because you insulted me, but you'll be damned if you make a move on her."

"B-but t-that's-"

"My appearance is bothering you, is that it?" Narushi suddenly asked. "If that's just the problem, then it can easily be solved." She took out a small case from her pocket and began poking her eyes—oh wait, she was removing her contact lenses. But I wonder why she even—"There. All done." She said, turning to face—OH HELL.

"Well..." Friedrich muttered. "With this, I can officially say that all my desires have been thrown out of the window, and they are never to return again."

"Haaah~" Narushi breathed out. "I told you. Those kinds of desires should never have existed in the first place you perverted geezer!" She said, leaning over my bed and sticking her tongue out at him. She was so close I could clearly see the colour of her eyes. Dark blue. Just like mine. But hers were a lot bigger, like Mikoto's, making her eyes look like precious sapphires. She sat back on her seat and noticed me staring at her.

"Well...seeing as you're all shell shocked right now, I guess now is a good time to explain. I should probably start with a little bit of history with me right?" She slid the ring from her finger and held it dearly in her hands. "I don't really understand the entire situation and all, but I do know that Mama is in danger right now. All I remember was waking up, finding myself in an all white space with...images floating all around. My head was on Misaka Mikoto's lap, as in the young version of the Mama that I knew. She was really beautiful, but for some reason...she seemed so sad..."

Is she talking about the Essence Scape? If it's that...then it's highly possible that the person she met is really Mikoto and not just some illusion or—

"I think it'd be better if I just showed you, Touma." She stood up and grabbed my left hand, placing the ring on my palm and lacing her palm above it. "I...I need you to understand every word that Mama is about to utter okay? We need to help her...please...Papa..."

* * *

"Are you awake now?" What the—MIKOTO?! I looked around me and I noticed the familiarity of the vast white space. I knew it. We really are in the Essence Scape.

"Nnnhhh~" I turned my head and saw Narushi in an all white dress with thin straps that hung on her shoulders. She was lying down on the floor, her head on Mikoto's lap. I was lying down as well, but neither of them doesn't see or recognize me. "What the—Is...is that you Mama?" Narushi seemed genuinely shocked. Mikoto raised her upper body and hugged her tightly.

"I can't believe this..." Mikoto muttered, her voice breaking. "You...you called me Mama, right? Oh my god. I can't believe this..."

"Mama? Are you crying?" She said, making soothing circles on her back as Mikoto hunched over herself and sobbed quietly. "Mama, what's the matter? Why are you...crying all of a sudden?" Mikoto looked up to her and stared for a bit, before she smiled brightly at Narushi, wiping away her tears.

"I-I'm sorry...that must've been so weird for you, seeing me cry like that and all." She smiled as she continued to wipe away her tears. "B-but...it must be surprising for you, huh? I mean, to see me, your mother in this...state."

"Hmm-hmmm." Narushi hummed, shaking her head. "Mama has always been very beautiful and young. Your looks haven't changed at all! But wait...does that mean you're not Mama?"

"Well...I don't know...exactly how to put this but...in a way, I am, but in another way, I'm not." Mikoto tried to laugh it off, but she wasn't fooling anyone. Narushi just stared blankly at her, Mikoto's dry laughs hanging pathetically in the air. "Aaaand I probably made this weirder huh? But anyway, my point is, things are really complicated right now, so I can't really say that I am your Mama uhm...so...what's your name again?" I literally deadpanned. Why didn't she—hey, now that I think about it, Narushi introduced herself as Awase Narushi. Why...isn't her last name Kamijou? I mean, if she's our daughter in the future and all.

"I don't really know, you have yet to give me one, not-really-Mama." Not-really-Mama? Seriously, Narushi? Mikoto stared at her before giggling for a bit. "What's so funny?" She asked with a pout.

"I'm sorry." Mikoto said, patting her on the head. "You're just so...candid. It reminded me a lot of a certain someone back home. Now that I think of it, he must be waiting for me right now. But where is Home exactly? I...can't seem to remember."

'_What the hell?! What do you mean you can't remember? How can you even forget about that Mikoto?! Kuroko, Ruiko, Kazari-chan, Misuzu-san and Tabigake-san, your Sisters, and everyone else! No one has forgotten about you, not even for a second! Especially me! How can you say that you don't know where Home is?! Home is the place where you belong right? Are you telling me that you don't feel like you belong with us anymore?!' _Oh what the hell. Who am I kidding? Of course they can't hear me. Narushi just sat quietly, opposite of Mikoto, waiting for her to say something.

"Say..." Mikoto suddenly said. "Why did you...instinctively call out to me as Mama? I mean, you shouldn't have any memories of me, right? After all, you're from an Alternate Reality." She said in a low voice, her fingers playing with the ring I had given her.

_Alternate...Reality?_

"Huh?" Narushi asked, tilting her head to the side. "Alternate...what now?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have gone technical on you. Of course you wouldn't understand.." She smiled before opening her palm and staring at it for a few seconds. What is she—EEH? A pen just popped out of nowhere! Mikoto took the pen and began moving it through the air, leaving behind a sparkly blue light in its stead. SHE'S WRITING ON AIR?! Mikoto drew two circles and a line that separated them. "This should be easy enough to explain. This diagram is kind of like a representation of the world that Angels reside in. These two circles here are the Reality and Alternate Reality. This line that separates them is called the Realm. It's actually where the Seven Pillars of the Gate of Heaven stand."

"The what?" Narushi said. Okay, I have to admit, even I'm completely baffled by what she said just now.

"The Seven Pillars of the Gate of Heaven is believed to keep Hell in place. But after staying here for so long, I realized that it had another function: to keep the realities separate. By the way, each Pillar has a corresponding Angel to it, but...well, now we're missing one. It's actually been vacant for four years now, I just acted as a stand in for when things got really messy."

"Why would the realities need to be separated? And why are you missing one Angel?"

"Well, from what I understand, the realities must not clash with one another, at all costs. I mean, the Reality is basically the real empirical world as we know it. It's where people live in right now. The Alternate Reality on the other hand is a world pretty much similar to the Reality. Well, not really, since it's a collection of worlds created by the people from the Reality. It's basically a compilation of the desired worlds by each and every person." Mikoto repeatedly drew circles inside of one of the big circles until it resembled a jar filled with overflowing candy balls. "Tell me, what does this look to you?"

"Like a jar filled with overflowing candy balls." Okay, now I'm definitely sure that she's my daughter. Mikoto smiled and laughed.

"Somehow, I definitely think that that person would have said the same thing~!" She laughed. "But anyway, you're right. It does look a lot like that huh? But the problem is, those worlds created by humans, their Personal Alternate Realities, which we will now call candy balls, can't be placed in another container, other than the Alternate Reality. I mean there, we can consider them as harmless candy balls, but once they cross over the Realm and enter the Reality, they'll be like bombs that'll just explode when something triggers them. I can't exactly pinpoint how it's going to happen, but it will happen."

"And...You're saying I came from the world of candy balls?"

"Yes." Mikoto smiled. "But then again..." She drew another circle, and this time it was pink! She touched the middle of it and dragged it over to the line, placing it by the centre. "You're not just any other candy ball. You're MY candy ball."

... What?...

"..What?.." Narushi asked. Damn. We really are father and daughter.

"It's as I said, sweetie." Mikoto said with a sad smile. "You're MY candy ball. That means you're the representation of my Alternate Reality. I don't really have any solid proof, but your appearance and the very fact that you're here right now is proof enough. You see, the reason why we lost one of the Angels, I...I don't remember all of the details, but I think I wished for it to happen. So now, I have to guard two pillars. I thought I was doing a pretty good job, but it seems like I let my own Personal Alternate Reality slip in accidentally and now, I won't be able to bring you back to the Alternate Reality. Once you cross the Realm, the only way to move is forward. But you can't stay there leisurely for long, because I don't know what may trigger you. The only thing that I can actually do for you is to send you to someone who can actually send you back."

"Such a person exists?" Wait a minute, don't tell me she's talking about—

"Kamijou Touma." Mikoto said with a wistful smile on her face. "The guy from my remaining memories. If my head isn't too messed up, then it should be right for me to say that he has an ability called the Reality Bender. When you get to the Reality, you need to find him and ask him for help as soon as you can. I'm sure he'll be able to pick up on the situation."

"Uhmm...hey, Mama?" Narushi seemed hesitant to ask, but Mikoto just smiled and reassured her. "There's something that's been bothering me for a while now. All this talk about remaining memories and not remembering. Do you have...like amnesia or something?" _What is she—_

"Ah...how very observant of you." _WHAT?!_ Mikoto smiled as she placed the cap on the pen. "Well, I guess it's not like I was trying to hide or anything. But...yes. In a way, I did lose some of my memories, and I will continue to lose the ones that I have left. I mean, that's the price I have to pay for making my wish. But...once I lose all of my memories, I can never go back to the Reality. Ah, I remember now. I wished...that all traces of Angelic power be removed from Earth, so that no one had to go through what I've been through. But then, being an existence composed of Angelic power, I got exiled too. Ironic isn't it?" Mikoto laughed to herself. "My own wish backfired on me. It's just...stupid, right?"

Mikoto held her head down after that, so I couldn't see the expression on her face. But after a while, a drop of water fell to her lap. It's just as I thought. She was crying. I wonder... Does she cry a lot in this...Realm or whatever? Does she cry by herself every single time? The thought of it makes my stomach twist. That must've been so...sad. I knelt down in front of her and tried to hug her, but my arms just went right through her, as if she was just a hologram. I tried and tried, but it was useless. Sh-t. The first time I see her in four years she's crying and I can't do a damn about it. God this is just so—

"I...I remember something..." Narushi suddenly said, making Mikoto look at her, despite the tears in her eyes. Narushi went over to her and used the edge of her long skirt to wipe away Mikoto's tears. "Papa...My Papa from my reality or world or whatever, I think I remember him saying something about wanting Mama to be happy all the time. _**"Mama wa shiawase naru!"**_ (Be happy, Mama!) He said, over and over again. And even as you fought and argued, he'd say it. Crying won't make you happy, Mama." She said, sitting back down properly and facing Mikoto. "I'll...I'll do everything I can! I promise! I'll find Papa in the Reality and we'll think of a way to stop you from losing your memories anymore. I promise I'll do my best...so... _**Mama wa shiawase naru**_! Okay?"

"Shiawase...naru..." Mikoto repeated, staring at Narushi's face. "Shiawase naru...Naru shiawase... AH! That's it! Your name!"

"My name?" Narushi asked. Wait a minute-!

"Awase Narushi! When you're in the Reality, you have to use that name, okay?" Mikoto said, patting her head. "If you say that phrase over and over again like this: shiawase naru shiawase naru. You'll eventually get Awase Narushi. Your name came from the love between your Mama and Papa. It represents their desire to find happiness together. It's such a nice name, isn't it?" Mikoto smiled happily at Narushi, making the latter smile as well. I couldn't blame her. Mikoto's smile was infectious after all.

"Yeah." Narushi seemed shy all of a sudden. "T-thanks for naming me, M-Mama..." Mikoto stretched her arms out to her and Narushi immediately after and hugged her.

"You're very welcome, Narushi." Mikoto said as she rubbed the top of Narushi's head. "As much as I want us to stay and chat, I'm afraid you're gonna have to go now. The Gates are closing in on the Reality. You can't survive here in the Realm, seeing as only Angels can do it. And as I said, the only way to move here is forward. So...you're gonna have to go now, Narushi."

"I...I know." She answered but she seemed reluctant to let go of her. Actually, they both seemed reluctant. But after a few more seconds, they finally moved.

"Narushi?" Mikoto said, making her look up. Mikoto removed her engagement ring and handed it over to Narushi, placing it in her ring finger. So she did give it to her. "Here. Take this, okay? If he sees you, Touma, I mean, wearing this, then I'm sure he won't have any doubts about you. When the time comes, I want you to share this ring's memories with him, okay?"

"When the time comes?" Narushi asked. "Why not just give it to him straight once I see him? It's easier that way, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, that would be the case. If you actually remember your purpose, that is."

"Huh?"

"You'll be going through a dimension, Narushi. You honestly can't expect to just get there safely without any hitches. I'll be bringing you there so you can meet up with him immediately, but that still won't change the fact that your memories will probably be jumbled up. So, when your head has been cleared, show this ring to him once more, maybe it'll help with the explaining. Ah, but we should do something about your eyes. I mean, it's going to be weird, finding a girl who looks exactly like me, with eyes that are exactly like his. You need to wear contacts or something. But what colour?"

"Hazel." Narushi answered without hesitation. "I want to have the same shade of eyes as Mama. I want hazel-coloured eyes too!"

"As you wish then~!" Mikoto said cheerily as she held out her palm and a few seconds later, a contact lens case was at her hands. "Now, let's get these on you so you can start your own mission, okay?"

* * *

"What the—" I snapped my eyes open and I was greeted with the sight of Friedrich's face hovering over mine. Friedrich's face hovering precariously close to mine. "GET AWAY FROM ME YOU PERVERT!" I shouted, pushing his face away from mine.

"Geez, why the cold shoulder, Kamijou-kun?" He whined as he stood straight again. "I was just checking if you were sound asleep or something. If you were, then Josephine and I would leave and just come back later."

"But that's—"

"Why isn't she awake yet?" Josephine suddenly said walking around the bed towards Narushi's slumped figure on the bed. It feels weird calling her that, now that I know the meaning behind it anyway... "Master Kamijou!"

"H-hah?" I muttered, looking over to the both of them. Narushi was still unconscious, but she looked like she was having a nightmare. Her face scrunched up, her mouth moving to form words that never made it out.

"N-Narushi?" I asked, placing my left hand on her forehead. "That's weird. Why am I the only one who woke up? We should've gone back together right?"

"Is she still dreaming then? Friedrich asked as he went closer and observed Narushi. "She...seems a bit troubled, doesn't she? Do you think it would be a bad idea to shake her right now? To wake her up, I mean. She looks—"

"M...Mama...D-don't...nhhh..." She suddenly mumbled. I grabbed her hands and noticed how they were trembling. I held them tightly as I tried to think of a way to get her out of this.

"If the Young Lady is calling out to Mistress Mikoto, then shouldn't that be a good thing?" Josephine asked. "Maybe Mistress Mikoto is telling her something in her dreams...or—"

"But why would Narushi look like this?!" I said, my voice accidentally rising by a bit. "If it really is Mikoto...Mikoto wouldn't do anything to make her suffer like this! You know how Mikoto is right? She can't possibly be-!"

"MAMA!"

"Narushi!" I jerked back a bit when Narushi suddenly screamed out to her Mama like that. She slowly opened her eyes, her chest heaving up and down, her breath heavy and forced. I held her hand tighter as I tried to assess her condition. "Narushi, hey, it's me. Are you okay? How're you feeling?"

"Mama...Mama is..." She said, her eyes widening as her hands trembled more. "She was...Mama was bleeding...she was...bleeding and there was blood...blood everywhere and I didn't know what to do..and then she was—" By this point, I couldn't understand what she was saying. She just muttered out words, incomprehensible to us as Josephine hugged her and stroked her head, trying to calm her down.

"Young Lady Narushi..." She began softly, cradling her into her arms. I know that I'm supposed to do something, but hey, I suddenly have a teenage daughter that suddenly cried after suddenly seeing her mother...well, I don't know what she saw really. What am I supposed to do in this sudden event? "Young Lady, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down, okay? We won't be able to understand what you're saying if you don't. Now, what is this about Mistress Mikoto again?" she said. Narushi tried to take a few, deep, calm breaths, but she'd only end up tearing up more. Friedrich nudged my shoulder and whispered.

"Oi, Kamijou-kun, do something about this, will you? It's been a long time since I've seen Em hug someone like that! It's making me very jealous you know!"

"There is something seriously wrong with your brain." I muttered, eyeing him carefully before turning my attention back to my...daughter. "Hey...Narushi?" I asked, rubbing the top of her head. "It isn't right for a woman to keep crying you know? You should stop that. I'm worried, really worried, about Miko- about your...Mama too, but we all have to calm down and think things through. Do you think you can tell us everything you know again? Slowly and clearly this time, okay?"

"Y-yeah...sure..." Narushi moved away from Josephine as she placed a hand over her heaving chest. She took a few seconds to breathe and we all waited for her. "But for the record though, as far as I know, I'm 16 years old. So technically, I'm not a woman yet."

"YOU'RE 16 YEARS OLD?!" Friedrich shouted. This damn little—All three of us, Josephine, Narushi and me, turned to glare at the paedophile, making him gulp and shiver.

"One more word Master, and I swear I'll kick you back to the high Heavens, understood?" Josephine threatened menacingly. "But, really, Young Lady? You're 16?" I guess I wasn't the only one surprised after all. Narushi sniffled for a bit, before trying to smile.

"Yeah...Mama told me that the reason why I told everyone that I was 22 was because since I was the representation of her Alternate Reality, I assumed her position in this world, including her age. I...When Touma was taken back from the white space—"

"An Angel's Essence Scape perhaps?" Josephine asked. Narushi looked confused.

"Essence wha—"

"It is her Essence Scape. I've been there before, Mikoto brought me once. I'm absolutely positive that it's her Essence Scape." I answered. Narushi looked at me as if she demanded an explanation, so I gave her one. "It's kind of like...a memory lane of sorts. Do you know what that is?"

"Oh, okay then. That's makes sense." She said, clutching the ends of her shirt in her hands. "Anyway, when Touma was take back, I got sucked in by a black hole and when I came to, I was in that Essence Scape. There...I saw her... Mama was..she was lying on the ground, her blood painting the white floor red. Her dress was a complete mess and she had trouble breathing. I ran to her and asked her what was wrong, but she just smiled and apologized. "I'm sorry you had to see me this way, Narushi." She said. " Narushi's hand trembled again. For her to be like this, Mikoto must've been...I can't even bring myself to think about it that way! "W-when I asked her who did this to her...she said that it was her punishment. It turns out, she wasn't supposed to leave the Realm, let alone enter the Reality."

"What's—"

"The Realm is where the Pillars are and it's right between the Alternate Reality and the Reality." Josephine said, cutting Friedrich off. "Please, Master. If you have any more questions, ask them later when the Young Lady is finished, alright? Please continue m'lady." Okay. Wow. Talk about being cold. Friedrich shut up, thank God he did, and Narushi continued.

"When we got there, my memories immediately got tampered with, and I immediately met you, Touma. Everything I said about wondering around and hearing voices and other stuff like that...as it turns out, they were all lies. Mama was the one who brought me there and she even got punished for it! To top it all off, I forgot about her. It's just...pathetic. She told me something about forgetting to warn me about the trigger, so she did whatever she could to tell someone."

"If that's the case, then you need not burden yourself with your conscience, Young Lady." Josephine said, making all of us look at her. "It is true that the Angels aren't allowed to leave their Pillars, but if they do leave, then they shouldn't have a punishment as brutal as what you saw. The reason she was punished wasn't because she escorted you to the Reality, it was because she spoke to someone in the Reality. But who?"

Mikoto spoke to someone when she brought Narushi here? But...who? I mean, when I first met Narushi, it was in her memoriam. Was there anything that could've meant Mikoto was there? Like a sign, or a voice or—

"THAT'S IT! THE VOICE!" I exclaimed, catching everyone's attention.

"Voice?" Narushi repeated. "What voice?"

"Back when I first met you, I heard a voice." I explained. "Back then, I thought you were Mikoto, but then you proved me wrong. I was really sceptical about Mikoto existing, so when someone called out to me, I thought it was you so I said your name. But the voice was so sad when it called me an idiot. I looked back and there was no one there."

"So...Mama must've tried to warn you then, but it was still useless." Narushi looked down, seemingly worried over something. "The trigger. You understood what Mama said right? If the trigger is activated, it'll take some time before I turn into a bomb and...well, explode. I'm going to end up destroying part of this Reality..."

"So we just have to avoid the trigger right?" Friedrich said. "So long as you don't go into contact with the trigger, things will be fine."

"Well, yes, that would be the case." She said, managing a small smile.

"You've...you've already encountered the trigger, haven't you?" I asked, and she desperately tried to hold up her smile. "Wipe that smile off your face, Narushi. You know very well that that isn't going to do anything for us right now, except letting us wallow into more despair."

"Yes, I know. I understand that..." She said, her smile fading away. "I sort of had a feeling that I shouldn't have gone with you, you know. Even when I had no idea what was happening around me, I felt like experiencing happiness was a bad thing, and that I should avoid it as much as I can, but I still became selfish and went with it..."

"What was the trigger?"Josephine asked.

"To meet the people that Mama desperately wanted to protect." Narushi answered. "Mainly Kuroko, Kazari-san, Ruiko-san, all of her friends, and especially you, Touma. But you were the first one that I met, and then Kuroko. Mama told me that because of that, that earthquake happened. It used to happen to her a lot before too. But for her, the triggers were different. But it's still the same."

"So then... why haven't you blown up yet?" Friedrich asked crudely. Josephine's eyes widened at him as she stood up, hands on her waist.

"MASTER! How incredibly rude of you to say something like that to—"

"Think about it, Em." He said seriously. "That trigger of hers. Does it have some kind of condition that needs to be fulfilled?"

"You're actually right for one, Paedophile-san." Narushi answered. You've got to be kidding me. "The condition is I have to meet every single one of Mama's loved ones. If I'm still here and the world is still round, then that means there someone that I still haven't met. If I meet more and more people, more earthquakes that aren't really earthquakes will come about. And when I meet all of them, this place will go BOOM!"

"So who haven't you met, then?" Josephine asked. "I mean, you've already met the Mistress' friends, as well as Master Kamijou's. You've met the both of us too."

"Misuzu-san and Tabigake-san..." I muttered out. Of course. Her family! "I guess you can include my Otou-san and Okaa-san too. Then...there's the Sisters, Last Order and Accelerator. Ah, and Hiromi as well! I guess that means we should keep you away from Mikoto's Tokiwadai friends like Kongou-san and the other girls."

"So if we keep you away from those people, oh and don't forget Necessarius there too, we can stall your detonation?"

"Don't talk about her as if she's a freaking bomb, Friedrich Claude." I said, offended by his choice of words. "No matter what the circumstances are, I'm still Narushi's dad. Don't talk about her like that."

"Hai~ hai~!" He sang. Ugh. Damn b-st-rd. "But anyway, since Em and I have everything we need, we'll leave both of you to rest now. You both look like you need it very much." He said, taking a few steps back to the window. "Now, hurry up, Em. We don't have all day. Wouldn't want to keep the family preoccupied for too long now, would you?"

"U-uh, yes! Coming, Master Frie." Josephine stepped off the bed and bowed courteously in front of Narushi before rushing over to Friedrich's side. "Well now, if you will excuse us, Master Kamijou, Young Lady Narushi, I believe we must be on our way. We'll contact you if we find any information regarding this situation of ours." She said with a bow, before they completely disappeared. I stared at the place where they stood before having a sigh and falling back onto the bed.

"Damn, it's been a long time since I handled stress of this magnitude." I said. "Worst of it was when Aogami pulled a prank during Heaven Arbiter's class and threw the blame onto me."

"Josephine-san..." Narushi muttered, still staring at the spot where the pair last stood. "She's an Angel isn't she?"

"How'd you figure that out?"

"She knew about the Realms and the Reality and all that other stuff. Plus, I think I saw her on one of the strips of film in the Essence Scape. There was one specific scene that caught my attention. Everyone was there and you were fighting against a guy with black hair who looked like a psychopath. There was...a cross like thingy and there were blonde girls with blue eyes tied to them. Mama was the only one with brownish hair, even though it looked lighter than her usual colour."

"You really do have your mother's brains huh?" I joked, enjoying the peaceful moment that I was sharing with her.

"I'd be mad if I had yours." She scoffed, looking at the ring that was on her finger. "Mama really loved you, you know."

"And why are you saying that all of a sudden?"

"With the way you've been for as long as I've known the present you, all you've been doing is doubt Mama, whether she was really serious about getting back together with you or not. You don't have any reason to doubt her you know? The memory she has of you, the last one from what I can tell, she's been keeping it close to her. Mama deliberately did it you know. She sent you back from the Essence Scape and made me stay, just so you couldn't see the state she was in..."

"Ah..really? So, what kind of punishment do you think it was?" I asked. "I don't really want you to remember all the gory details and such, but I just want to know how she is, I mean, she got punished because she tried to talk to me, right? How could I not worry about her?"

"Mama was lying."

"Yeah, I figured as much." I sighed. Really Mikoto, so many years have passed and you still can't say a decent lie. "I don't think she'd be punished like that, so much that she had to bleed profusely like you told us. II think Friedrich and Josephine knew so too. They just didn't want to worry us, thinking that we didn't understand the situation."

"But we know Mama better than anyone, don't we?" She said with a small smile. "I personally think Mama was attacked. She has a wound on her waist, I think it hit a blood vessel explaining the excessive blood. Plus, she was all in tatters, and her face was dirty. You were there before too. You saw how pure and immaculate Mama looked when she faced us, far from what I saw just now."

"Any other evidence to back up your claim?"

"I felt a presence." She answered shortly. I raised a brow at her and stared. She just pouted and repeated her words. "I felt a presence there with us."

"Like...a ghost or something?"

"You don't realize I'm an esper, do you?" She asked, and my mouth literally dropped open. "Sigh, I knew it. I'm an Electromaster too, like Mama, but I don't know what my level is, since that kind of ranking system was abolished. In my time, from what I can remember anyway, people didn't really care much about ranks. If you had an ability, then good for you. Academy City became more reared on technological and medical advances. They still use the abilities to some extent, but it's not that big a deal anymore."

"Uh...you didn't happen to have inherited some of my...abilities, now would you?" Okay now, calm down, Kamijou Touma. Narushi doesn't look like you in the slightest, so maybe Mikoto had full control over her DNA or something and made sure that THAT didn't get passed on to her?

"Ability?" Narushi asked as she tilted her head to the side. "Mama said something about the Reality Bender or something...but from what I can remember, you don't have ESPer abilities, right?" She said. She doesn't know about my Imagine Breaker? Why didn't Mikoto and I ever tell her anything about it? Were we hiding something?

"Well...let's just say that Mikoto and I have been through a lot when we were younger. That's why she became an angel and that's why I...I got a really unique ability."

"Will you tell me about it?" Narushi asked as she settled herself on the empty space of the bed beside my legs. "You never told me about how you and Mama met, I've always wanted to know how an awesome Level 5 ojou-sama ended up with a level 0 like you."

"It's gonna be a really long story though." I said, sitting up straight and crossing my legs on the bed. "It goes way, way back when your Mama was just a 2nd year middle schooler."

"I don't mind." She shrugged, lying down and placing her head on my lap as she looked up at me with a small blush and a smile. "We used to do this when I was younger. The both of us lay our heads on Mama's lap and she brushed our hair too."

"Is that so?" Damn it. This girl has the exact same charm as her mother. I'm gonna have to prepare myself for a lifetime of battling with guys that will fall for her. Is this how Tabigake-san felt when Mikoto came into his life? I smiled as my hands sifted through her messy yet soft hazel locks as she looked at me earnestly. "The first time I ever met your Mama was when she was 14 years old, I was 16 back then. I've had the worst luck for as long as I remembered, so I often ran into trouble. One night, when I was on my way home, I noticed a group of thugs circle around a girl."

"Guys like that really existed in Academy City?" Narushi asked and I laughed.

"You bet they did, tons of them really. If you hadn't seen much of them as of lately, I guess I'll have to thank Kuroko for that." I mused and Narushi just smiled. "Anyway, a lot of people were just passing by them, and I stopped, for some reason. On instinct, I acted as if the girl and I were friends that were separated, and that I was just about to take her home. When I held my hand out to her, it was only then that I saw how pretty the girl I was trying to save really was. She had short hazel hair and her hazel eyes were as wide as plates as they stared at me in wonder, probably wondering who the hell I was. That girl was your Mama. It was the first time I ever laid my eyes on Mikoto, and I mentally cursed myself for not noticing her sooner. I brushed it off for as long as I could, but naturally, Mikoto was dubious of me and she asked me who the hell I was."

"The thugs caught on to you?" Narushi said as she stifled her yawn.

"Yeah, and boy were they pissed." I laughed. How long...how long had it been since I talked about the past like this? "I really tried hard to defend myself and Mikoto, I still didn't know her name by that point. I tried bluffing, and by some work of magic, Mikoto got pissed at me and started shooting sparks everywhere, making them black out. I wanted to run away from trouble as soon as I could, so when the chance came, I took off. I never would've thought that Mikoto would come running towards me. You should've seen the look on her face as she chased me, demanding me to tell her why I didn't pass out like the thugs. I got scared of her, but strangely, it...wasn't a bad kind of scare. I didn't know her name, IO didn't know who she was, hell, all I knew for a fact was that she was a girl and an Electromaster. But I...I always had this inkling feeling that...she understood me or something. And that was how we started. She chased after me, I ran away, and the cycle went on and on and on. Until it came to the point that I actually got used to it. I got worried whenever she didn't chase after me, or when we didn't accidentally meet by the vending machine. It must be weird right?" I asked myself, laughing sarcastically. Why the hell am I—"I mean, I hardly knew anything about her, but I felt close to her. At first, I actually thought she was a bit irritating, challenging me to fights every time we met, but as time went on, I got to knew her for her, as Misaka Mikoto. I can't exactly pinpoint it...but it came to the point that I fell in love with her. And I still do."

My vision got blurry, and before I knew it, my tears had already made their way out of their tear sacs and they came cascading down my face. Goddamnit Kamijou Touma. You're telling your daughter about your love story and you're crying over it? Get real!

"I—I'm sorry, Narushi. It must be so wei—" I looked down upon my lap and saw the heart melting sight of Narushi sleeping peacefully on my lap. She nestled her head against my lap every now and then, muttering words I couldn't really understand. But she looked relaxed and serene. I didn't have the nerve to wake her up or anything. I smiled as I pulled her body up to the pillow and covered her in a blanket before settling myself beside her, as farthest as the narrow bed could possibly let me. I brushed the hair away from her face as I watched her peaceful sleeping expression.

"Good night, Narushi." I said, planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "Sleep well."

**-chapter end-**

**HEY HEY! Sorry for the late update! Had our exams for awhile and I got stacked with term papers. Had to finish 6 of them in one weekend -_- hihi. But now that's over and done with, I AM FREEEE~!**

**Anyway, please review okay? Thanksssiee~! By the way, if any of you readers are going to have birthdays, just PM me okay? I'll try to post something for you guys~! Bye bye, JA-NE!**


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